Gov’t dismisses new malaria strain claims in student deaths

The Minister of Health, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, has dismissed reports linking recent student deaths to a new malaria strain, saying the fatalities are instead associated with an “immunological gap” among learners in urban areas.

Presenting a ministerial statement before Parliament, Baryomunsi said available scientific evidence does not support claims of a more virulent malaria parasite circulating in the country. The plenary sitting was chaired by Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth.

The minister’s statement followed concerns raised by Andrew Kaluya (NUP, Kigulu County South) over suspected severe malaria cases affecting students, particularly in urban boarding schools.

Baryomunsi said Uganda continues to conduct genomic surveillance of malaria parasites through the National Malaria Control Division in collaboration with research institutions, but no new or more dangerous strain has been detected.

“This surveillance has not identified any change in the virulence of the parasites currently circulating in the country. Plasmodium falciparum remains the dominant species, accounting for approximately 97 per cent of infections,” he said.

He added that both genomic and clinical data do not indicate that a new strain is responsible for the recent deaths reported among learners.

The minister confirmed that four students in the Kampala Metropolitan Area succumbed to severe malaria, including two from Makerere College School, one from Mengo Senior School and another from Gayaza High School.

However, he clarified that other deaths previously reported in schools in Naalya, Ndejje, Katakwi and Kakiri were unrelated to malaria, having resulted from suicide, trauma and road accidents.

Baryomunsi explained that the vulnerability among urban learners is largely due to reduced exposure to malaria over time, which limits the development of natural immunity.

Children raised in low-transmission settings such as Kampala, he said, are less likely to build resistance to malaria compared to their counterparts in high-transmission areas, making them more susceptible to severe illness when infected.

To address the emerging challenge, the Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sports, is rolling out a series of interventions aimed at strengthening prevention and response mechanisms in schools.

These include revised rapid diagnostic and treatment guidelines, training of school administrators on emergency referrals and efforts to improve access to basic health services within school settings.

Government is also planning rapid malaria risk assessments, confidential inquiries in affected schools, issuance of a ministerial circular on malaria prevention and treatment, as well as the phased deployment of school nurses.

Baryomunsi said the goal is to ensure that no learner dies or suffers prolonged disruption of education due to delayed prevention, diagnosis or treatment.

The statement appeared to ease concerns among legislators, with Kaluya welcoming the measures and describing them as reassuring to parents and the public.

“It gives us comfort as parents and leaders not to worry excessively about what is happening. However, we must strengthen our response to malaria,” he said.

Frederick Angura (NRM, Tororo South County) called for improved health infrastructure, urging government to ensure that sub-counties lacking Health Centre IIIs are supported with adequate facilities.

Ethel Naluyima (NUP, Wakiso District Woman Representative) raised the need to integrate mental health programmes in schools, citing the non-malaria-related deaths reported.

In her guidance, the Speaker urged the ministries of Health and Education to develop a comprehensive response plan to address both health and psychosocial challenges affecting learners.

Meanwhile, Gen Samuel Kavuma (UPDF Representative) expressed concern over the low uptake of routine medical check-ups among Ugandans and persistent challenges in accessing accurate diagnosis.

The developments come amid heightened public anxiety over student safety in schools, with government seeking to reassure the public through evidence-based explanations and strengthened health interventions.

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