KAMPALA, 23rd October 2026 – The Minister of State for Local Government, Hon. Justine Nsubuga Nameere, alongside the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ben Kumumanya, and officials from the Ministry of Health, yesterday welcomed a high-level Tanzanian delegation at the Ministry of Health headquarters in Kampala for a benchmarking engagement on the Busoga Malaria Eradication Programme (BMEP). Also present was Dr. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe, Vice President Emeritus and Senior Presidential Advisor on Population and Health. The engagement formed part of a broader visit to benchmark Local Economic Development (LED) and local government service delivery. The three-day visit includes field visits to Busoga, where the delegation will observe the programme’s malaria prevention, surveillance and treatment interventions to gain practical insights into its implementation.
BMEP is a community-led initiative aimed at eradicating malaria in the Busoga region through household surveillance, mosquito control, community mobilisation, and improved access to testing and treatment. In her opening remarks, Dr. Kazibwe pointed out that the programme’s blueprint draws on Uganda’s decentralised Local Council system, alongside Subcounty Investment Forums and Village Health Brigades, demonstrating the critical role of local government structures in malaria eradication. She cited significant progress towards malaria eradication under the Nawanyingi pilot, including an 88.7% reduction in Anopheles mosquito density and a decline in malaria positivity at a sentinel health facility from 90.3% to 9.7%.
The engagement also emphasised the need for community and private-sector participation, sustainable financing, and integrating malaria interventions into national and local government planning and budgeting. The visit is expected to strengthen cooperation between Uganda and Tanzania in tackling the disease through community-led approaches. The Ministry of Local Government has reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the Ministry of Health and other partners, not only in combating malaria but also in strengthening overall community health.
