The Ministry of Health has rolled out a malaria vaccine (R21) into the routine immunization schedule to protect children under 5 years old from severe sickness and death.

The vaccine will be administered to babies aged 6 to 18 months, starting with 107 high-risk districts, covering over 1.1 million children under 2 years of age.

Dr. Jane Aceng Ochero, the Minister of Health, says this will now become the 14th vaccine in the country’s routine immunization program.

She notes that after the official launch in Apac District on Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025, parents across the country can take their children to public facilities to access free malaria vaccinations. The ceremony was presided over by the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja who represented the President at the event.

Dr. Aceng said the vaccine is approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Ugandan government scientists.

The initiative will significantly protect Ugandan children under five against severe malaria and related fatalities.

“Malaria is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Uganda. Data from public and private health facilities indicate that malaria is responsible for 30-50 percent of outpatient clinic attendances, 15-20 percent of admissions, and up to 20 percent of in-patient deaths,” she said.

Minister Aceng said, “Malaria has a significant negative impact on the economy of Uganda due to loss of workforce because of sickness, decreased productivity, decreased school attendance and poor overall school performance, and loss of foreign direct investment.”

According to WHO, Uganda has the world’s highest malaria incidence rate of 478 cases per 1,000 population per year.

It is also the leading cause of sickness and death in Uganda and is responsible for up to 40 percent of all outpatient visits, 25 percent of hospital admissions, and 14 percent of all hospital deaths.

Globally, Uganda is the 3rd highest contributor of malaria cases and the 7th highest contributor of malaria deaths according to the World Malaria Report 2019.

This is a step in Uganda’s fight against malaria, aiming to protect over 1.1 million children under two years old and it marks a new era in public health, offering renewed hope to millions at risk. The vaccine rollout is expected to significantly reduce malaria-related deaths, especially among children under five, who are most vulnerable.

Uganda will become the 19th country to introduce the malaria vaccine, following 17 others. Kenya and Ghana have been administering it since 2019—that’s over five years ago.