The government has set out to vaccinate at least 95 per cent (7,471,554) of the 7,864,794 eligible children against measles and rubella.
The five-day nationwide vaccination campaign, which starts on October 1, 2026, officials said, is non-selective for all children aged between nine months and 59 months (5 years), irrespective of their previous measles vaccination status. The campaign has been necessitated by declining immunity among children.
The drop in immunity has been attributed to missed vaccinations over the past three to four years due to Covid-19, the refugee influx and declining donor funding for vaccinations.
Dr Michael Baganizi, programme manager for the Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunization (UNEPI) under the ministry of Health, said since the year began, about 18 districts had registered measles outbreaks, while 60 districts registered outbreaks in 2025. The ministry of Health later mapped 66 districts as having been affected by measles outbreaks in 2025.
“This is a non-selective campaign, even if you have been vaccinated before. The purpose of this is that this is called a booster vaccination. It is to boost your immunity to ensure that your immunity is very strong. And it doesn’t matter; there is no overdose of the Measles-Rubella vaccine. It actually helps the child to have a more active immune system against the disease.
“This is a campaign; it is not part of the routine [programme], which we give at nine months and one and a half years, but here we target all children irrespective of your vaccination status.”
The immunisation schedule for measles starts at nine months, with the second dose administered at 18 months. The routine programme recommends two doses to provide full protection.
Whereas measles outbreaks may not draw the chilling fears associated with other diseases, officials said the disease is highly contagious and is transmitted through airborne respiratory droplets and direct contact with infected secretions.
One person with measles can infect up to 18 other people, making it one of the most infectious diseases known. Measles has no specific treatment, but its symptoms, including fever, skin rash, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia, persistent diarrhoea, eye damage and neurological complications.
Rubella, also known as German measles, can cause serious harm to unborn babies, including miscarriage and congenital rubella syndrome. Infection during early pregnancy can result in fetal abnormalities in up to 90 per cent of cases, including hearing, eye and heart defects and developmental problems.
Dr Annet Kisakye, WHO national professional officer responsible for routine immunisation and new vaccine introduction, reassured parents and guardians about the effectiveness and safety of the vaccination.
She said measles had made a comeback and that vaccination remained the most effective tool for preventing the disease. She added that the vaccines being administered have been used for decades.
On possible side effects, she said some parents report mild fever and rash after vaccination, but these usually resolve on their own.
“I encourage caretakers to keep around 30 minutes after vaccination to watch and observe the child for any side effects which may occur. When a fever occurs, they can use tepid sponging using lukewarm water and, if within three days the temperature hasn’t gone down, go to a health centre and have the child checked,” Kisakye said.
She warned parents against applying ice cubes to injection sites, saying this could cause further damage, and advised them to seek medical attention if a child’s temperature does not come down.
At least Shs 21.8 billion has been committed to the vaccination campaign, with support from government and development partners, including Gavi. The campaign will be conducted through fixed health facilities, temporary posts, markets, settlements, mobile posts and mop-up vaccination exercises.
The vaccination teams will include two health workers, two community mobilisers and one recorder in urban areas. In rural areas, teams will comprise two health workers, one community mobiliser and one recorder.
DWINDLING DONOR FUNDING
Meanwhile, Dr Jimmy Ameny, grants coordinator at the Ministry of Health, said dependence on donor funding over the years had started creating structural vulnerabilities in the health system.
With donor support coming under increasing pressure, Ameny urged the government to strengthen domestic health financing and sustain investments in immunisation and other health programmes.
The financial pressure comes as Uganda prepares to implement its 2026–2030 malaria elimination strategy, which aims to achieve zero malaria deaths by 2030.
The worsening health situation has also seen Ugandans spend more than 25 per cent of household consumption on healthcare, in what has been described as poverty-generating illness.
While malaria may not draw the same chilling fears associated with HIV and tuberculosis, it remains one of the country’s leading causes of illness and death. Ministry of Health data indicate that malaria accounts for significant numbers of outpatient consultations, hospital admissions and deaths. The ministry has reported an average of 16 malaria-related deaths daily.
WHO’s latest country profile reported 16.5 million presumed and confirmed malaria cases and 2,793 reported deaths in Uganda in 2023.
Ameny said the funding realities now call for quality diagnosis, effective treatment and prevention tailored to particular districts through prompt case management and chemoprevention, stronger surveillance and operational research, sustainable financing, and multisectoral coordination and collaboration.
The ministry is pushing for insecticide rotation and universal net distribution, seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC), malaria vaccination, expanded community case management, stronger referral systems, perennial and post-discharge chemoprevention and other targeted interventions.
That’s attempted murder for over 7m children