MPs advocate for increased malaria funding

KAMPALA - MPs and health experts working in the fight against malaria have called for increased funding to eliminate the disease, particularly among children and pregnant women.

The team, working under their umbrella organisation, Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Malaria, says for Uganda to realise a reduction in malaria-related deaths, the Government should ring-fence funding for malaria.

“We need to empower all the stakeholders in the fight against malaria. Unfortunately, this cannot be done when the disease is still being treated like any other disease. As legislators, we need to ringfence this money and ensure that it is invested in the fight against malaria,” Nebbi District Woman MP Agness Acibu says.

Busia District Woman MP Hellen Auma argues that as legislators, they should always separate malaria funds from the health ministry's budget.

“As Members of Parliament, we know that the budget for malaria has been increased, we need more money. The funds should be picked out of the Ministry of Health and put aside and then monitored very closely,” Auma says.

The MPs were speaking during the launch of the National Children’s Malaria Conversation Week at Parliament.

Busia District Woman MP Hellen Auma argues that as legislators, they should always separate malaria funds from the health ministry's budget. (Credit: Edith Namayanja)

The Bunyole West MP, who is also the treasurer of the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Malaria, Geoffrey Mutiwa, said the National Children’s Malaria Conversation Week, which will coincide with International Children’s Day, is an important platform to raise awareness about critical funding gaps and rally the public to take action against malaria.

“As MPs, we are already doing our work of advocacy. We know now that it is a budgeting process. This explains why we are bringing different stakeholders on board to lobby for this money so that when it is put in the budget, people are aware and then support it,” he said.

Senior Medical Officer for Malaria Chemoprevention and Vaccines at the Ministry of Health Jane Irene Nabakooza emphasized the need for greater support to the Ministry of Health to implement interventions aimed at reducing the malaria burden, which continues to contribute significantly to poor health outcomes and hampers national development.

She highlighted the severe impact malaria has on children and pregnant women, noting that a child who contracts malaria within the first two years of life is at high risk of death.

During the event, several Children’s Malaria Ambassadors underscored the dangers malaria poses to children.