Amuru district continues to grapple with a worsening measles outbreak that has so far infected 262 people since the disease was first confirmed in February 2026.
The outbreak has raised concern among health authorities and district leaders who are now calling for urgent intervention from development partners and closer collaboration with neighbouring Adjumani district.
The district said limited access to vaccines and inadequate immunisation coverage have contributed to the continued spread of the disease, especially in communities hosting asylum seekers and in hard-to-reach areas with limited health services.
Speaking during a joint cross-border engagement on Ebola preparedness and public health coordination, Amuru district surveillance focal person, Onekawi Robert, revealed that the outbreak has now spread across several parts of the district.
“In Amuru, we also have a measles outbreak. The outbreak started on the 10th of February this year and is running up to now. As I talk right now, my line list shows 262 cases. It has spread over the district.
“The most affected sub-counties are Amuru, Amuru town council, Lakang, and Laima. But for Lakang, if you see the allocations, we don’t even have a single health facility.”
Health officials said lack of health infrastructure in some sub-counties, particularly Lakang, has made surveillance, vaccination, and timely response to suspected cases extremely difficult.
Officials are also worried that population movement across the border continues to expose children to preventable diseases, especially those who miss routine immunisation.
Lamot Patrick Liuos, the health focal person for Elegu town council, said many children arriving in the area have not received complete immunisation, increasing the risk of disease transmission within host communities.
“We have been having these cases of children coming without proper vaccination, and sometimes we could attribute the outbreaks of measles and others to gaps in immunisation. So, I think we can also jointly [again] discuss how we can strengthen because the asylum seekers who come, not all of them go to Adjumani.”
Unlike Amuru, neighbouring Adjumani district has benefited from vaccination campaigns supported by several implementing partners, enabling thousands of refugees and host community members to access life-saving immunisation services.
Amuru leaders now want similar interventions extended to their district before the outbreak worsens.
The Resident District Commissioner of Amuru, Geofrey Osborn Oceng, emphasised that disease immunisation should no longer be viewed solely as a health issue, but as a security concern requiring coordinated action from all stakeholders.
“Issues of health, we should also continue to discuss and sit with a joint security committee when we are handling matters of health together. Because now health is a serious matter, we can’t say it is not a security matter. It is actually a security risk, and that’s why everybody becomes part and parcel of the task force.”
Amuru leaders say stronger collaboration with Adjumani, government agencies, and humanitarian organisations will be critical in closing immunisation gaps, strengthening disease surveillance, and protecting vulnerable children from further infections.
As the outbreak continues, authorities are urging parents to ensure that all children receive routine immunisation, while appealing to development partners to provide emergency vaccines and logistical support to contain the disease before it spreads further across the region.
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