Iganga, Uganda: The Busoga Health Forum (BHF) has partnered with District Health Officers (DHOs) across the Busoga sub-region to scale up an integrated malaria eradication programme, following what health experts have described as a successful pilot intervention in Nawaningi Sub-County, Iganga District.
The partnership was cemented during a coordination meeting held on Monday at the Family Concepts Center in Kasokoso, Iganga, bringing together DHOs from across Busoga to align strategies for regional rollout of the mosquito spraying programme.
The meeting was addressed by former Vice President Specioza Wandera Kazibwe, who serves as an adviser to BHF. Dr Kazibwe said the forum resolved to engage district health leadership to ensure effectiveness, sustainability and public trust as the programme expands.
“We wanted the District Health Officers fully on board because they are critical in guiding implementation,” Dr Kazibwe said. “What we piloted in Nawaningi Sub-County has proved positive, useful and cost-efficient, and we are now ready to scale it up.”
She explained that the initial rollout will target Bugiri and Namutumba districts, which have already received government funding that can be leveraged to support indoor residual spraying and complementary malaria control interventions.
“We shall start with Bugiri and Namutumba, and thereafter roll out to other districts in Busoga, working closely with district councils, executive committees and planning units to involve all players in the health sector,” Dr Kazibwe added.
Regional coordination framework agreed
The meeting resolved that technical planning sessions will be held in each district, chaired by Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), alongside sensitisation of District Executive Committees led by LCV chairpersons and district councils to secure political and administrative buy-in.
Participants also agreed to establish a Busoga Health Technical Committee, to be coordinated jointly by the Bugiri and Jinja DHOs, to oversee implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the malaria eradication programme.
Bugiri District Health Officer Kirya Stephen Bulolo welcomed the initiative, saying the pilot had provided valuable lessons.
“We were taught a number of things, especially what was discovered in Nawaningi Sub-County regarding mosquito spraying,” Dr Bulolo said. “We agreed on concrete steps to support the rollout across Busoga, including sensitisation at district level and formation of a committee of DHOs to operationalise the programme.”
Busoga Health Forum CEO, Mr Kyangwa Moses, commended the DHOs for committing to the initiative, noting that their involvement is key to overcoming public misconceptions about spray chemicals.
“The participation of DHOs will cultivate trust among communities and ensure proper coordination,” Kyangwa said. “Our approach is comprehensive—we spray mosquitoes, test and treat malaria cases, and strengthen surveillance.”
He revealed that implementation in Bugiri and Namutumba districts is expected to kick off in February, before the programme is extended to other parts of Busoga.
DailyExpress has learnt that on Tuesday, teams from Busoga Health Forum and technical health officials held engagements with authorities in Bugiri District to map out operational procedures and integration of district health staff into the programme. Similar engagements are planned for Namutumba District, ahead of wider regional expansion.
Malaria remains one of the leading causes of illness and death in Busoga, and health experts say coordinated, region-wide interventions such as indoor residual spraying, combined with testing, treatment and surveillance, could significantly reduce transmission and ease pressure on health facilities.
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