By Tolit Ivan
The Gulu district health department has reported an improvement in the uptake of malaria vaccines by 95% despite the initial resistance by the community. The district uptake was at 40% when the programme was first introduced in April 2025 by the Ministry of health.
The vaccine is administered in four doses and targets infants aged 6 to 18 months.
Despite its benefits, the vaccine initially faced rejection from the community, which affected early uptake.
However, due to increased sensitization efforts, acceptance has greatly improved, with uptake rising from 40% to 95% in a spell of one year.
Dr. Kenneth Cana, the Acting Gulu District Health Officer, attributed the increased acceptance to continuous community sensitization and a noticeable reduction in severe malaria cases. He urged parents and caregivers to ensure that children complete all the four doses in order to provide full protection against severe malaria, which remains the leading cause of death among children.
Statistics from the Gulu District Health Department indicate that a total of 24,653 children were infected by malaria between July and December 2025.
National data shows that Uganda records about 16 malaria-related deaths daily, with 10 of those being children under five years of age.
