A senior World Health Organization (WHO) official has disclosed that Uganda will obtain at least three million doses of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine to initiate its child immunization program against malaria.
Dr. Annet Kisakye, WHO’s national professional officer for the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, shared in an interview that the vaccine was approved by the organization in December of the previous year. She noted, “We are anticipating three million doses to ensure all four required doses are provided to each child.”
The Ministry of Health has announced that the malaria vaccine procurement will be jointly funded by the Government of Uganda, with Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, contributing over 90 percent of the required funds. In a recent meeting with legislators in Kampala, Dr. Jane Irene Nabakooza, a senior medical officer at the Ministry of Health, revealed that each dose of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine will cost $3.9 (approximately Shs14,427).
She also stated that the vaccine will be provided free of charge as part of the routine immunization schedule for children. According to Dr. Nabakooza, the first dose will be administered at six months of age, the second at seven months, the third at eight months, and the fourth when the child reaches one and a half years old.
She highlighted that for children to be adequately protected from severe malaria, parents must ensure they receive all four doses of the vaccine. She also encouraged people to maintain other preventive measures, such as using mosquito nets and conducting indoor residual spraying.
Dr. Kisakye advised that if a vaccinated child develops a fever, they should be promptly taken to a health facility for testing and treatment. “While the malaria vaccine doesn’t completely prevent malaria, it significantly reduces the risk of the disease becoming severe enough to require hospitalization,” she explained.
Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng confirmed that the malaria vaccine is safe and is scheduled to be officially launched in April 2025, in conjunction with International Malaria Day. Dr. Aceng stated that the vaccine is expected to help reduce malaria cases and decrease government spending on the disease.
She further noted that Uganda requires $350 million (Shs3 trillion) for indoor residual spraying and $100 million (Shs369.9 billion) for mosquito nets. She called on legislators to secure higher budget allocations for the health sector to facilitate these efforts.
Dr. George Didi Bhoka, the MP for Obongi Constituency, who stood in for the chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Dr. Joseph Buyoya, assured that MPs will support efforts to increase funding for crucial sectors, including health.
Regarding the delay in the malaria vaccine rollout from October of this year to next year, Dr. Kisakye explained that the adjustment was made for better planning. Initially, only one pre-qualified vaccine, RTS,S (Mosquirix), was available when the Ministry of Health announced the introduction of the vaccine.
The second vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, was pre-qualified in December, and its production required additional steps. Dr. Kisakye noted that doses are expected to be available by the second quarter. She emphasized that the delay allows for proper planning and preparation to ensure the program’s success, stating, “It’s better to delay and prepare adequately than to rush and risk failure.”