The Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng has officially flagged off the distribution of 2.278 million doses of malaria vaccines to 105 districts with high and moderate transmission across Uganda, marking a major milestone in the country’s fight against malaria.
The vaccination will eventually be rolled out to the entire country.
This initiative is made possible through the support of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, with co-financing from the Government of Uganda.
The procurement and air freighting of the vaccines have been undertaken by UNICEF, ensuring timely delivery of a high quality vaccine.
The malaria vaccine will be introduced into the routine immunization schedule in April 2025, targeting children aged below two years.
This will be the largest malaria vaccine introduction to date in terms of the number of districts and target population.
The four- dose vaccine will be administered at 6, 7, 8, and 18 months, ensuring optimal protection from malaria during the most vulnerable stages of early childhood.
The malaria vaccine, a critical intervention in Uganda’s comprehensive malaria prevention strategy, will be integrated into routine immunization services to protect young children who are most vulnerable to the disease.
Malaria remains the leading cause of illness and death of young children in Uganda, and the introduction of the vaccine is expected to significantly reduce severe illness and deaths, among children under five years.
Speaking at the flag-off event, Dr. Aceng emphasized the government’s commitment to strengthening disease prevention efforts and building resilient health systems.
“The introduction of the malaria vaccine in Uganda is a historic step forward in our fight against this deadly disease. With the support of Gavi, UNICEF, and other partners, we are ensuring that every eligible child has access to this life-saving intervention,”Dr.Aceng said.
UNICEF, responsible for the procurement and air freighting of the vaccines, reaffirmed its commitment to child health and immunization efforts in Uganda.
“Today, we turn a page in Uganda’s health story. With the introduction of the malaria vaccine, we are
delivering hope for children in Uganda. This introduction means that the national immunization schedule now includes 14 vaccines to be delivered during childhood, among the highest on the continent. We now must ensure these vaccines are delivered safely and efficiently. We urge all parents to ensure that their children receive the full range of vaccines, including the new malaria vaccine” said Dr. Robin Nandy, the UNICEF Representative to Uganda.
Gavi, which is responsible for coordinating the global malaria vaccination programme and providing financial support for procurement, transport and rollout of doses, has so far supported 17 African countries to introduce the vaccine as part of their routine immunisation programmes.
Gavi also works closely with countries and partners to ensure malaria vaccines are delivered as part of a holistic malaria control and prevention package.
Commenting on the development, Billie Nieuwenhuys, Senior Country Manager for Uganda at Gavi commended the country for this critical step.
“The efforts that have been made to prepare for what will be the world’s largest malaria vaccine introduction to date are a testament to the Government of Uganda and partners’ unwavering commitment to protect the most vulnerable children against a disease that claims too many lives. As we celebrate our Alliance’s 25th anniversary, we are excited about the potential of our newest vaccine programme to save tens of thousands of lives each year while alleviating the devastating burden malaria places on families, communities, and health systems in Uganda and across the African continent.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) coordinated the pilot evaluation of the first malaria vaccine, generating the evidence that led to WHO’s recommendation and prequalification of the two safe and effective malaria vaccines that are available now.
WHO continues to support countries by providing guidance, sharing experiences across regions and partners, and offering technical assistance to ensure successful implementation.
The Ministry of Health applauded GAVI and its core partners, UNICEF, WHO and other partners PATH and CHAI for their contribution.
The rollout of the malaria vaccine aligns with Uganda’s broader strategy to combat malaria through a combination of interventions, including insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying, seasonal malaria chemoprevention and effective case management.
The Ministry of Health urges parents and caregivers to bring their children to health facilities to receive the vaccine as part of routine immunization services.
Of the 17 countries that have rolled out the malaria vaccine with Gavi support, 14 introduced the vaccines in 2024, including Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Benin, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, South Sudan, Mozambique, Central African Republic, Niger, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Nigeria.
The other three— Ghana, Kenya and Malawi—introduced the first malaria vaccine, RTS,S in 2021 during the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP) and have since scaled up routine provision of the vaccine.
In addition to Uganda’s rollout in April, about 6 to 8 countries, including Burundi, Mali, Ethiopia, and Guinea plan to roll out the vaccine in 2025.