Lira City | Hundreds of passionate health advocates, government officials, civil society organizations, and residents from Lira City and beyond gathered on April 12 at the old Akii Bua Stadium ground for a symbolic and powerful “Malaria Walk”.
Under the resonant theme, “No One Should Die from Malaria,” the walk, now gaining national momentum, is a clarion call to action for all Ugandans to join hands in the fight against one of the country’s most persistent public health threats, malaria.
With banners held high and chants echoing throughout Lira City, the participants were not just walking for awareness, they were walking for survival, for children, for communities, and for a malaria-free future
According to the Ministry of Health, malaria remains Uganda’s number one cause of morbidity and mortality, especially among children under five and pregnant women.
Uganda is among the top 5 countries globally with the highest malaria burden. WHO’s 2023 World Malaria Report revealed that Uganda contributed approximately 5% of the global malaria cases and 3% of global malaria deaths in 2022.
Recent data indicates that malaria lo prevalence in Uganda stands at an alarming 9% nationally, with some regions, such as the northern districts of Apac, Oyam, and Kole, facing higher prevalence rates ranging between 15 – 20%.
Despite these statistics, hope flicks as new interventions including vaccines, indoor residual spraying (IRS), and mass distribution of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs)—begin to take effect across affected regions.
Dr. Andrew Odur, Director of Lira Regional Referral Hospital, gave an impassioned speech, highlighting the heartbreaking stories of helpless children succumbing to malaria.
“We see them every day, innocent lives lost to a preventable disease. But today, we gather not just to walk but to fight back,” he said.
He praised the government’s recent vaccine rollout, noting its historic launch in Apac district on April 2, 2025, as a monumental step in reducing child mortality from malaria.
“The vaccine gives us hope. It must be embraced if we want to protect the next generation,” Dr. Odur added.
The chief walker, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, Uganda’s Minister of Health, and the Woman Member of Parliament for Lira City, received a warm welcome as she emphasized the government’s steadfast commitment to eliminating malaria through the malaria control program.
“We are implementing every possible tool from vaccination to indoor spraying, bed net distribution, and treatment because we know one fact: no disease kills more Ugandans than malaria,” she stated.
Dr. Aceng urged communities to support and promote the malaria vaccine, calling for collective responsibility and behavioral change so that children under 5 years are saved from malaria.
She also emphasized that for all interventions to work, communities must change behaviors especially in net usage, early treatment-seeking behavior, and environmental cleanliness.
“These insecticide treated mosquito nets are distributed for malaria prevention. It’s our duty to ensure we clear stagnant water, use nets correctly, and report symptoms early,” said Aceng.
In support, Minister Aceng called for sustained efforts in Larviciding, a process of controlling mosquitoes by killing their larvae before they develop into adults. The Larviciding campaign, for Lira, began in 2020 when it was still a Municipality.
Dickens Ogwal, Executive Director of Lango Civil Society Network (LACSON), representing numerous CSOs in the sub-region, acknowledged the critical role civil society has played.
“This walk is not just symbolic. It is a crucial demonstration of community, CSO, and government unity in improving lives,” Ogwal said.
He called on all stakeholders to use this opportunity to intensify awareness and advocate for sustained support and resources to create a malaria-free Lango sub-region.
“This is our moment. Together, we can defeat malaria. Let us not relent,” he concluded.
Patrick Owuni, a representative of the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce, reiterated the economic impact of malaria, especially on the workforce and productivity.
“As the business community, we have a lot to do in fighting malaria starting with adhering to health SOPs, supporting clean environments, and encouraging our employees to get vaccinated,” Owuni said.
The malaria walk initiative was first launched nationally in 2023 by the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Malaria (UPFM). This year marks the beginning of regional walks aimed at bringing the message closer to the grassroots.
Jacquiline Ndikimwiza Kagwaa, Stakeholder Engagement Officer at UPFM, highlighted the importance of decentralizing awareness campaigns.
“After walks in Pader, Arua, and now Lira, our latest milestone, we are planning further walks in Karenga district, Masaka City, and Jinja City,” she announced.
She thanked the Ministry of Health for championing the drive, calling the walk “a people-centered approach to malaria elimination.”
As part of the day’s significant highlights, Fosun Pharma’s Sanjoy Basak, a philanthropic donor, made a vital contribution of 50,000 vials of Injectable Artesunate worth shs250million. This is a critical drug in the treatment of severe malaria.
This donation is expected to reach the most vulnerable in remote health centers across Lango and West Nile sub-regions where the malaria prevalence is still alarming.
Representing the National Malaria Elimination Division (NMED), Assistant Commissioner of Health Services, commended the walkers for their zeal and commitment.
“This is more than a walk—it is a movement. Let us keep walking until malaria is kicked out of Uganda for good,” he said.
Lira City Council Deputy Mayor Rebecca Alwedo Ogole pointed that the people of Lira City have embraced tools including; residual spraying, net usage, and now, vaccination as shields against malaria.
She called on local governments and community leaders to intensify education and surveillance to ensure consistent use and monitoring of these interventions, especially the vaccine.
Uganda is among the several countries in Africa to roll out the R21/Matrix-M malaria as part of the broader immunization campaign.
The vaccine has already shown promising results in reducing the incidence of clinical and severe malaria among vaccinated children. The Ministry of Health aims to expand the rollout to other high-burden regions.
Despite the challenges, there is growing momentum in the national and local fight against malaria. Uganda’s Malaria Reduction and Elimination Strategic Plan 2021-2025 targets a 90% reduction in malaria cases and death by the end of 2025, a goal that appears ambitious but achievable with continued collaboration.
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