Measles a leading cause of death among young children — MoH

5 November 2025, 8:33 pm

By Okwong Geoffrey

The Ministry of Health (MoH) has classified measles as one of the leading causes of death among young children in Uganda.

Measles is a highly infectious yet vaccine-preventable disease caused by the measles virus. It spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets or direct contact with infected individuals.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting held on Monday at the Pader District Health Boardroom, Dr. Nasif Matovu from the Ministry of Health said that 95% of measles-related deaths occur in developing countries, with a case fatality rate estimated at three in every ten cases.

“A suspected measles outbreak is when a district records five or more suspected cases within 30 days,” Dr. Matovu noted.

The meeting, organised under the Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunisation (UNEPI), focused on strengthening the district task force to improve measles surveillance and response.

Members identified several gaps that may have contributed to the recent outbreak, including delayed detection, weak surveillance systems, inadequate follow-up mechanisms, and inefficient use of primary healthcare funds meant for the Expanded Programme on Immunisation.

Other challenges cited were limited supervision, low community awareness, and poor data utilisation by health workers for decision-making.

Samson Ocaya, the in-charge of Angagura Health Centre III, blamed some health staff for dishonesty in data entry, which he said undermines the surveillance team’s ability to make timely and informed decisions.

“Some health workers are not sincere when entering surveillance data, and that affects how quickly we respond to outbreaks,” Ocaya remarked.

Pader District confirmed a measles outbreak on October 25, 2025, following positive laboratory results from samples collected in Awere subcounty. According to official reports, five serum samples were taken from suspected patients on October 22, and four out of the five tested positive for measles.

Data from the Ministry of Health indicates that 61 districts across Uganda reported confirmed measles outbreaks between January and October 2025. Of these, 37 districts have since controlled their outbreaks through district-led responses with support from MoH and partners.