The Malaria Burden: Regional Variations and Rising Trends
While some regions are seeing a seasonal decline, malaria remains the dominant public health threat across Uganda. In the Mbale region, confirmed cases surged from 5,942 to 7,472 in just one week, with Kibuku District recording the highest incidence at 45 new cases per 10,000 people. The Busoga region (Jinja) faced an even larger volume, reporting 16,513 confirmed cases in a single week, including one death in Jinja City. Conversely, the Karamoja region saw a decrease in cases to 7,233, though officials warned of the need for continued vigilance as testing positivity remains high at 34%. In the Hoima region, while cases are generally reducing, health officials noted a persistent issue in Buliisa District, where a high number of patients with negative test results were still being treated for malaria.
A “Steep Attrition” in the Tuberculosis Care Cascade
A critical gap has emerged in the identification and treatment of Tuberculosis (TB), particularly in Northern Uganda. In the Acholi sub-region, out of 25,788 people screened, 531 presumptive cases were identified. However, the “steep attrition” through the care cascade resulted in only 34 confirmed diagnoses and a mere 19 patients starting treatment—meaning only about 56% of those diagnosed actually began care that week. Similar challenges were found in the Mbale region, where officials reported extensive data errors and instances where patients were detected but not enrolled in care, such as at Mbale RRH, which reported 21 new cases but only confirmed two bacteriologically.
Localized Outbreaks: Measles, Hemorrhagic Fevers, and Mpox
Surveillance teams are currently managing several localized disease clusters. A measles outbreak is suspected in Mbale City, where 18 cases were reported in a single week. Meanwhile, the Acholi region identified a concentrated cluster of 15 measles cases specifically in Amuru District. Beyond measles, heightened surveillance for Ebola in the Bunyoro region successfully identified cases of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) and Yellow Fever. Additionally, two Mpox cases were verified in Kikuube District following the investigation of 32 different public health signals.
Maternal and Perinatal Health: A Mixed Outlook
Maternal health outcomes showed significant variation across the country in July 2026. The Acholi region reported zero maternal deaths for the reporting week, a positive finding for the region. However, other areas were not as fortunate: one maternal death was recorded in Jinja City and another in Moroto District. The toll on newborns remains heavy; the Busoga region has recorded 689 perinatal deaths since the beginning of 2026, with macerated stillbirths accounting for 37.2% of these losses, suggesting persistent gaps in antenatal detection and timely care. In Gulu, a cluster of three macerated stillbirths was specifically noted in Nwoya District, triggering calls for facility-level reviews.
