At the recent World Malaria Day commemorations in Gulu City, Jane Ruth Aceng, the minister of Health, expressed gratitude to donors, development partners, and government teams for their continued support amid global financing challenges in the malaria fight.
Aceng celebrated key milestones highlighting Uganda’s success in reversing past malaria epidemics and introducing the malaria vaccine. She emphasized that the country is no longer merely controlling the disease but is actively moving toward its elimination.
Underscoring innovative approaches such as the Malaria Elimination Demonstration Zones, Aceng called for greater innovation, efficiency, and inclusive collaboration even involving skilled individuals outside formal employment to strengthen the national response.
While the global theme was “Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” Uganda chose a more urgent national message: “End Malaria Now.”
Against this backdrop, Pilgrim Africa, a health-related NGO, raised a critical concern: although Uganda has made commendable progress in malaria control, schools—where over 75% of the population spends much of their time—remain a neglected frontline.
To address this gap, Pilgrim Africa, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, launched the School Malaria Project. According to Wycliff Odude, the programs coordinator, the organization aims to protect 22,000 schoolchildren from malaria this year.
Through targeted Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) campaigns, schools in Soroti, Jinja, Serere, and Katakwi have already benefited, with upcoming activities planned in Amuria.
The goal is both urgent and ambitious: to turn classrooms and dormitories into safe, malaria-free spaces for Uganda’s future leaders. Using Actellic 300CS, a WHO-approved and highly effective insecticide manufactured by Syngenta, Pilgrim Africa is bringing protection directly to the heart of schools.
But their work doesn’t stop at spraying walls. Through student-led malaria ambassador programs—including poetry, skits, and plays—they are nurturing a new generation of health champions to extend the fight into their communities.
Pilgrim Africa’s mission aligns with the Minister’s call to be bold, efficient, and resilient—even amid shrinking resources. In the face of declining donor support, Pilgrim Africa stands as a beacon of hope. By focusing on schools—where Uganda’s next generation learns and lives—they demonstrate that the path to ending malaria begins where dreams are shaped.