Tayebwa Rallies Gov’t & Public To Eliminate Malaria!

4th May 2025 Kampala

— The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has urged government to intensify efforts to eliminate malaria, particularly among school-going children, who now account for the highest burden of infections in Uganda.

Speaking during the flag-off of the 3rd Malaria Walk on Saturday morning, Tayebwa called for targeted interventions such as indoor spraying of classrooms and dormitories, citing recent Ministry of Health reports that show a worrying spike in malaria cases among children around the age of 12. He attributed part of the problem to lax parental attitudes toward school health requirements.

“There is a worrying trend from the reports I am getting from the Ministry of Health—the most malaria cases are from school-going children. The cases among children below five years have reduced, but those among children around 12 years are rising,” Tayebwa said. “Some parents only pay a small fee to nearby clinics to get medical reports for schools without actual medical tests. This has to change.”

Tayebwa, who also serves as the Patron of the Parliamentary Forum on Malaria, emphasised the need to shift the national approach from treatment to prevention, calling on the government to prioritise malaria elimination over treatment. He also encouraged Ugandans to draw inspiration from countries like China, which have successfully eradicated the disease.

Tayebwa joined by legislators & other Ugandans making drills after the walk

“While we have reduced fatalities due to malaria, the number of cases we are registering is still high. We must move from treating to eliminating this monster,” he said.

Following the awareness walk, Tayebwa took a malaria test—one he proudly announced came out negative—and praised the use of locally manufactured testing kits from Microhaem Scientifics as a step forward in supporting Uganda’s growing pathogen economy.

He further urged parents to make full use of the new malaria vaccine being rolled out by the Ministry of Health, and to ensure children are tested and treated before returning to school each term.

Tayebwa said that the burden of treating malaria is high both for government and individual Ugandans hence calling for efforts to completely eradicate it.

The 3rd Malaria Walk, which brought together lawmakers, civil society, health professionals, and members of the public, was part of ongoing national efforts to raise awareness and mobilize action toward a malaria-free Uganda.