Foreign partners supporting Uganda's malaria elimination efforts are set to phase out their funding by 2030, leading to a significant annual funding gap of about 600 billion shillings. The Ministry of Health warns that this decision will have adverse effects, especially in subsidizing malaria treatment costs.

As Western donor countries shift focus to global issues like conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine, and climate change, Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng urges the government to find alternative funding to combat malaria, a pressing public health concern.

Dr. Jimmy Opigo, head of the National Malaria Control Division, laments the withdrawal of external funding, which has long supported critical initiatives like malaria control and treatment. Most of this funding comes from USAID, the Global Fund, and the World Bank.

Despite efforts, Uganda remains the world's third-highest malaria-burdened nation, leading to an annual economic loss of over USD 500 million (UGX 2 trillion). In 2022, the World Health Organization reported over 12.7 million malaria cases and over 17,556 deaths annually in Uganda.

Dr. Opigo emphasizes the need for urgent government action and regrets that environmental factors, such as changes in mosquito behavior, have hampered progress.

Dr. Aceng highlighted that 85% of the Health Ministry's budget relies on foreign donors but advocates for domestic funding mechanisms, like the national health insurance scheme, to reduce dependence on external aid in the health sector.