Uganda Rules Out New Malaria Strain After Student Deaths

The minister confirmed that four learners from schools in the Kampala Metropolitan Area died from severe malaria.

Uganda's Ministry of Health has dismissed reports that a new malaria strain is behind the recent deaths of students, saying scientific evidence shows the cases are linked to lower immunity among learners raised in urban areas rather than any change in the malaria parasite.

Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi clarified while addressing Parliament, explaining that continuous genomic surveillance conducted through the National Malaria Control Division and research partners has found no evidence of a more virulent malaria strain circulating in the country.

He said Plasmodium falciparum remains the dominant malaria parasite in Uganda, accounting for about 97 per cent of infections, and available laboratory and clinical data do not support claims that a new variant is responsible for the recent fatalities.

Four malaria deaths confirmed among Kampala students

The minister confirmed that four learners from schools in the Kampala Metropolitan Area died from severe malaria. The victims included two students from Makerere College School, one learner from Mengo Senior Secondary School and one from Gayaza High School.

Dr Baryomunsi also clarified that several other student deaths recently reported in schools at Naalya, Ndejje, Katakwi and Kakiri were unrelated to malaria. Those incidents were caused by suicide, trauma and road accidents.

He explained that children growing up in Kampala and other urban centres are exposed to malaria less frequently because transmission rates have declined in those areas. As a result, many learners do not develop the same level of natural immunity seen in children living in high-transmission regions, leaving them more vulnerable to severe illness when they become infected.

Government steps up school health measures

The Ministry of Health, working alongside the Ministry of Education and Sports, is introducing a series of measures to strengthen malaria prevention and improve emergency responses in schools. These include updated rapid diagnosis guidelines, training for school administrators on referral procedures, improved access to health services for learners and rapid malaria risk assessments in affected schools.

Government also plans to issue a ministerial circular on malaria prevention and treatment while gradually deploying school nurses to strengthen healthcare within educational institutions. Dr Baryomunsi said the goal is to ensure that no learner loses their life or faces prolonged disruption to their education because of delays in diagnosing or treating malaria.

Lawmakers welcomed the government's response while calling for broader improvements to the health system. Hon. Andrew Kaluya said the statement had reassured parents and leaders, although more work is needed to strengthen malaria control. Hon. Frederick Angura urged government to improve access to Health Centre IIIs in underserved sub-counties, while Hon. Ethel Naluyima called for stronger mental health programmes in schools. Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth supported the proposal, urging the Ministries of Health and Education to develop a comprehensive plan that addresses both physical and mental wellbeing in schools.