Uganda launched a five-day nationwide measles-rubella vaccination campaign on October 1, 2026, opening an effort to immunise millions of young children across every district and city in the country.
The national launch took place at Wakiso Health Centre IV in Wakiso District and was presided over by Uganda’s Minister of Health, Dr Chris Baryomunsi. The campaign continues through October 5 and is open to children aged nine through 59 months — from nine months old to just under five years of age.
According to the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, the campaign covers all 146 districts and cities in Uganda. Wakiso District Local Government said the measles-rubella vaccine being provided during the drive is free, safe and effective.
“This vaccination campaign is about ensuring that our children survive, grow into adulthood and live healthy lives,” Baryomunsi said in an October 2 report from the World Health Organization.
Five days of nationwide vaccination
The campaign’s short, defined schedule gives families from October 1 through October 5 to have eligible children vaccinated. The age range is a key part of the programme: children must be at least nine months old and younger than five years.
That distinction means the campaign is not intended for every child generally described as under five. Babies younger than nine months fall outside the stated eligibility range, while children who have already reached their fifth birthday are also not included.
By extending the campaign to all 146 districts and cities, health authorities are conducting the vaccination effort on a national scale rather than limiting it to selected areas. Wakiso District’s role as host of the official launch places the district at the centre of the opening, but the campaign itself is designed to reach eligible children throughout Uganda.
The government and its health partners have described the exercise as a major push against measles and rubella. For parents and caregivers, the central information is that the vaccine carries no charge during the campaign and that eligibility is determined by the child’s age.
Reports differ on exact target
Published accounts agree that the campaign is intended to reach millions of children, although they give different figures for the precise national target.
New Vision reported a target of 7.5 million children. The World Health Organization, meanwhile, said the campaign was seeking to reach nearly 7.9 million children. The difference between those figures has not been resolved in the available reports, so the exact target remains unclear.
The discrepancy does not change the confirmed eligibility rules or the campaign dates. Children aged nine to 59 months are covered, and the vaccination exercise is scheduled to operate nationwide until October 5.
The variation in the published totals also underlines the importance of separating the confirmed scope of the campaign from estimates of how many children may ultimately be reached. The geographic coverage — all 146 districts and cities — is stated by the World Health Organization, while both reported target figures indicate an undertaking involving several million children.
Wakiso hosts the national opening
Wakiso District Local Government announced ahead of the campaign that Wakiso Health Centre IV would host the national launch. The opening there on October 1 marked the start of the five-day timetable across Uganda.
The district’s public information emphasised three points about the vaccine: it is free, it is safe and it is effective. Those assurances form an important part of the campaign’s message to families deciding whether to bring eligible children for vaccination.
The health ministry’s focus, as set out by Baryomunsi at the national level, is on children’s survival and long-term health. His remarks framed the campaign not simply as a five-day event but as an intervention intended to support children as they grow.
With the campaign ending on October 5, the opportunity is limited to a narrow window. Officials are therefore seeking to reach eligible children across urban and rural administrative areas during the same nationwide schedule.
The launch in Wakiso brings together the main elements of the programme: a clearly defined age group, vaccination at no cost, nationwide coverage and a fixed five-day period. While reports differ over whether the intended reach is 7.5 million or nearly 7.9 million children, they agree that Uganda’s measles-rubella drive is operating at national scale and is focused on children from nine months to under five years old.
