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Uganda to Launch Malaria Vaccine in April 2025, Targeting Over 1.1 Million Children
The Ministry of Health has announced the official launch of the malaria vaccine in Uganda. The routine immunization launch is scheduled to take place on April 2, 2025, at Booma Grounds in Apac District.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will preside over the national launch event. He will mark a historic milestone in the fight against one of Uganda’s deadliest diseases.
Malaria remains a major health crisis in Uganda, with the country among the 11 nations contributing to 70% of the global malaria burden. In 2024 alone, Uganda recorded over 10.9 million malaria cases, leading to 3,582 deaths. Every day, 16 Ugandans die from malaria, 10 of them being children under five years old.
According to the World Malaria Report 2023, Uganda ranks third globally in malaria cases and seventh in malaria-related deaths. Malaria is responsible for 30-40 % of outpatient consultations, 20% of hospital admissions and 10% of all hospital deaths.
The most vulnerable groups include pregnant women, young children, individuals with sickle cell disease, people with weakened immune systems and non-immunized travelers.
Following recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO), Uganda has added the R21/Matrix-M Malaria vaccine to its routine immunization schedule to protect children under five years old from severe malaria and death.
The roll-out will begin in 107 high-malaria transmission districts and is expected to cover over 1.1 million children under two years old. The vaccine will be administered in a four-dose schedule at six months, seven months, eight months, and 18 months of age.
This initiative has been made possible with the support from GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, with co-financing from the Government of Uganda. The United Nations Children’s and Education Fund (UNICEF), facilitated the procurement and airlifting of 3.5 million vaccine doses, with 2.278 million already distributed to targeted districts.
How the Vaccine Works
The Malaria vaccine is an injectable one that triggers the immune system to prevent plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite, from infecting and multiplying in the liver. Studies in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi have shown that the vaccine reduces overall child mortality by 13% and significantly decreases severe malaria hospitalizations.
While the vaccine is an important tool, the Ministry of Health stresses that it is free of charge. But it should not replace other malaria prevention measures, such as: Insecticide-treated Mosquito Nets (ITNs), indoor residual spraying, seasonal malaria chemo-prevention, and environmental control efforts
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, urges all parents to embrace the malaria vaccine and ensure children receive all four doses for full protection. “This is a breakthrough in our fight against malaria. Parents must take advantage of this free and life-saving intervention,” Aceng said.
The vaccine is part of Uganda’s broader Expanded Programme on Immunization (UNEPI), which now includes 14 vaccines, protecting against diseases such as polio, measles, pneumonia, and cervical cancer.
The launch in Apac will mark a major step forward in Uganda’s commitment to eliminating malaria and saving thousands of young lives.
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