By Weswa Ronnie
MBALE CITY
The Ministry of Health has confirmed an outbreak of yellow fever in 19 districts of eastern Uganda, with Kibuku District being the most affected. The announcement was made on Tuesday, 8th Aprfil, 2025 by Dr. Fred Nsubuga, a senior medical officer from the Ministry of Health, during a press briefing in Mbale city.
Yellow fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted primarily by infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the same vectors responsible for dengue and Zika viruses. Uganda, with its tropical climate and numerous water bodies, provides an ideal breeding ground for these mosquitoes.
The Outbreak and Response
Dr. Nsubuga described yellow fever as a “very dangerous disease if not controlled,” prompting the government to initiate a mass vaccination campaign targeting 4.5 million people aged 1 to 60 years.
The vaccination exercise will run from 10th to 16th April in the affected districts, which include: Mbale, Tororo, Kibuku Budaka, Manafwa, Bulambuli, Pallisa, and Kaliro among others.
He says Schools have been identified as key vaccination centers due to their organized structures. The Ministry of Education has already granted permission for health workers to carry out immunizations in schools across the 19 districts.
Cassim Namugali, the Mbale city Mayor has urged the community to embrace the vaccination as a way of kicking out yellow fever in Mbale city and Uganda at large.
