Former Vice President Specioza Wandira Kazibwe has launched a bold initiative to eradicate malaria in the Busoga sub-region, a region long plagued by high malaria-related deaths and hospitalisations.
The Busoga Malaria Eradication Project, spearheaded by Kazibwe in partnership with the Busoga Health Forum, aims to combat the disease through mass screening, treatment, and extensive indoor residual spraying.
The spraying campaign targets both the interior and exterior of homes, killing mosquitoes on contact and reducing the risk of malaria transmission.
Busoga accounts for 33% of outpatient department (OPD) visits, 22% of hospitalisations, and 11% of malaria-related deaths in Uganda, making it one of the worst-affected regions in the country.
In Nagadadula village, Nawanyingi sub-county, Iganga district, residents like Yolamu Kumunu, a father of nine, struggle under the weight of malaria treatment costs.
"I spend over Shs60,000 every month treating malaria," Kumunu told the Nile Post. "I'm worried because most of the Parish Development Model (PDM) money we borrowed is being spent on treatment instead of improving our livelihoods."
The financial strain has forced him to delay paying school fees for his children. Initially, he suspected they were victims of witchcraft due to their excellent academic performance, only to later learn they were all infected with malaria.
"My children were always among the best in class. I thought someone wanted to stop their success. But after visiting a health facility, I was told they all had malaria," he said.
Kumunu’s case mirrors the struggles of many families in Nawaningi, Bulamagi, and across Busoga, where swampy areas and overgrown bushes create breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
At Nawaningi Health Centre III, health worker Salam Kutaama attributes the persistent malaria crisis to poor environmental management.
"Many residents live near swamps and fail to clear bushes, allowing mosquitoes to breed," Kutaama said. "Statistics from Iganga's medical office show that over 30% of patients seeking treatment suffer from malaria. This overwhelms health facilities, leading to frequent shortages of malaria drugs."
Dr. Karim Muluya, the assistant district health officer for Iganga, noted that funds spent on malaria treatment could instead be used for household development projects to boost incomes.
The launch of the Busoga Malaria Eradication Project has sparked excitement among residents, who hope it will relieve them from the economic and health burden of malaria.
Kazibwe’s initiative focuses on sensitising communities about malaria prevention and treatment, distributing free mosquito nets to vulnerable families, and training 250 village health brigade teams to monitor malaria cases and report outbreaks.
Health expert Allan Katamba is optimistic that the project will reduce malaria cases and financial strain on families, especially those who had started panicking after spending most of their PDM money on treatment.
Kazibwe remains hopeful that, with the right interventions, malaria can be wiped out of Busoga.