Uganda, earlier this year launched Malaria vaccination for children under two years of age, with initial focus on high and moderate transmission areas.
The ongoing exercise was initially rolled out in 105 districts with plans to expand nationwide where children are vaccinated with R21/Matrix.
Children are administered with four doses at 6, 7, 8, and 18 months.
The vaccine has been touted as the magic bullet to end Malaria in Uganda as the country remains a high-burden malaria country, with its entire population of 45.5 million at risk of being infected with malaria.
Vulnerable groups include pregnant women and children under five, with the highest transmission areas being northern Uganda (Acholi, Karamoja, Lango, and West Nile regions) and eastern Uganda (Busoga region).
As of 2022, Uganda had the 3rd highest global burden of malaria cases (5.1%) and the 8th highest level of deaths (2.9%).
It also had the highest proportion of malaria cases in East and Southern Africa, accounting for 23% in 2022.
Between 2021 and 2022, the estimated number of malaria cases increased by 1.6% from 263 to 268 per 1000 of the population at risk, while deaths fell 2.3% from 0.38 to 0.37 per 1000 of the population at risk over the same period.
There is stable, perennial malaria transmission in 95% of the country, with Anopheles gambiae and An. funestus being the most common malaria vectors.
To accelerate progress towards global malaria targets, the WHO and RBM Partnership rolled out the High Burden High Impact approach in 10+1 countries which include Uganda.
The Uganda Malaria Reduction and Elimination Strategic Plan (UMRESP) 2021-2026 aims to reduce malaria infections by 50 percent, morbidity by 50 percent, and mortality by 75 percent by 2025.
The plan aims to achieve these goals through stratification to ensure appropriate tailoring of intervention mixes for the various epidemiologic contexts, universal coverage of services (including in the private sector), robust data management, social and behavioural change, multisectoral collaboration, and malaria elimination in two districts.
Although the entire population is at various levels of risk, marginalised populations are confronted with economic, social, and contextual challenges and barriers that may limit their access to malaria prevention, treatment, and control programmes.
These populations include vulnerable and underserved populations such as:
Children under five years and pregnant women
People living with HIV
People with disabilities
Inmates and other detainees
People in closed/congregate settings
Migrant and mobile populations
Internally displaced populations
Refugees and asylum seekers
*Older persons*
People affected by ethnic, geographical or cultural barriers.
To address the human rights barriers, Uganda has developed a comprehensive strategy document aimed at a malaria-free Uganda through protecting human rights, achieving gender equality, and improving health equity for all Ugandans in all their diversity .
The plan is titled: “Leaving no one behind: A national plan for achieving equity in access to HIV, TB and Malaria services in Uganda, 2020-2024.”
