ACCELERATING CHILD SURVIVAL AND DEVELOPMENT 2009
Uganda’s Battle Against the Top Childhood Threats
CONSOLIDATING
MALARIA CONTROL
SITUATION SUMMARY
Overcoming the deadly impact of malaria continues to
be the greatest development challenge affecting
Uganda today. The disease is endemic in 95% of the
country and is the number one killer of children ac-
counting for more than 32% of deaths of children under
five and contributing significantly to miscarriage and
low-birth weight of infants. It also the most frequently
reported reason for illness among adults and accounts
for 50% of all outpatient department attendance and
35% of all in-patient admissions. According to certain
estimates, as many as 70,000 to 100,000 deaths can
be attributed to malaria every year in Uganda.
While MDG 6 directly addresses the need to consoli-
date malaria control (to arrest and reverse the spread
of HIV and Malaria), it is clear no meaningful progress
on MDG 4 (to reduce child mortality by two thirds) can
be made without tackling this disease. It is also the key
to breaking the cycle of extreme poverty that traps over
30% of Ugandans. Some studies show poorer families
can spend up to 34% of their income on malaria treat-
ment. Tackling MDG1 (to eradicate extreme poverty)
therefore, is also linked to the fight against Malaria.
Despite obvious human and financial losses, the 2006
Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) esti-
mates that only 16% of households own an Insecticide
Treated Net (ITN) and less than 10% of children under-
five years sleep under them. In addition, only 10% of
pregnant women reported sleeping under an ITN and
less than 16% received the proper preventative proto-
col for malaria during their ante-natal care visit. In
terms of treatment, coverage of Home-Based Manage-
ment of Fever is expanding, but only 29% of children
under-five received anti-malarial drugs the same day
or next day of a fever.
THE REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE
In response to the overwhelming burden of the disease
in the Lango sub-region (transmission rates are the
UDHS 2006: Key Malaria Control Indicators
A t Least 1ITN U5 sleeps under ITN
% of housholds covered
50
40
30
20
10
0
IDPs Acholi- Karamoja
Lango
© UNICEF Uganda/2008/Chulho Hyun
It would be a great shame to win the war for peace – but lose
the battle against child mortality. Above, children in Oyam Dis-
trict in northern Uganda begin their battle against malaria.
highest in the world in Apac District), UNICEF and the
Government of Japan distributed over 230,000 ITNs
in late 2007, aiming to boost the coverage of house-
holds with two ITNs to 70%. In response to the dismal
levels of net ownership in the Karamoja sub-region,
UNICEF distributed over 340,000 nets in late 2007,
aiming to raise coverage of households with two ITNs
from 3.4% to all families. Post-distribution surveys will
determine the new levels of coverage.
MALARIA CONTROL
INDICATIVE BUDGET FOR 2009
UNICEF works at the national level and in 23 focus
districts to ensure that all children are protected
against malaria by:
• Supporting the Government’s policy to massively
scale up distribution of ITNs to the level of two nets
in every household. In 2009 control efforts will aim
to scaling up net coverage in Western Uganda from
3.3% (UDHS 2006) of households with more than 2
ITNs to 80% with 2 ITNs.
• Using Village Health Teams (VHTs), local councils,
faith-based institutions, and radios to promote the
use of ITNs in all 23 districts;
• Supporting the training and equipping of VHTs to
deliver Community Case Management for malaria
using the new Artemisinin Combined Therapy
(ACT) in 10 districts.
Budgetary Requirements: 9.3 million USD
pro mpt treatment
• 7 million procurement & distribution of 1million nets;
• 2 million for promotion of proper use in 23 districts;
• 300,000 to support VHTs for prevention and proper
treatment of malaria.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Western
Dr. Claudia Hudspeth Karen Allen
Chief, Child Survival Deputy Representative
chudspeth@unicef.org kallen@unicef.org