Children Voices Against Malaria Uganda (CVAMU) will hold its inaugural Bye Bye Malaria Schools Festival at Marriott Hotel in Kampala on November 20, 2026.
The festival will run under the theme, “My Day, My Rights: My Health, My Future,” and will bring together children, schools, health partners and communities to promote malaria awareness, prevention and access to health services.
Marriot Hotel
The event will take place on World Children’s Day, commemorated annually on November 20. The day marks the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child by the United Nations General Assembly in 1959 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.
Speaking at the launch of the festival, CVAM Executive Director Henry Lutwama said malaria continues to pose a serious threat to children’s health, education and family welfare. He said malaria can cause serious illness, interrupt learning, increase school absenteeism and place financial pressure on families.
He added that children need accurate information, supportive adults and access to proven malaria prevention and health services.
“Schools provide an important platform for helping children learn, develop healthy practices and share correct information with their families.’’ Lutwama said. ‘’ Children’s Voices Against Malaria Uganda (CVAMU) is building a bold, child-led movement that will unite schools, learners, teachers, families and partners in the fight against malaria. The movement will be officially launched on 20 November 2026, in commemoration of World Children’s Day, placing children’s voices, leadership and right to health at the centre of malaria elimination. Through School Malaria Clubs, education, advocacy and practical prevention activities, children will be empowered to lead lasting change in their schools and communities.’’
Children Voices Against Malaria Uganda empowers children and schools to prevent malaria through education, participation and practical action. The organisation says the festival will give children an opportunity to share their experiences, raise awareness and participate in efforts to reduce malaria infections in their communities.
“This Festival gives us an opportunity, as children, to share experiences on how to fight malaria because in the end, we are the most vulnerable,” said Katrina Joyce Bakka, a malaria champion. Regional health bulletins published in August 2026 indicated that malaria remains Uganda’s dominant public health threat.
The Mbale and Lango regions recorded particularly high transmission rates, with paediatric malaria prevalence in parts of Lango reaching between 32% and 60%.
Broader data finalised in 2026 showed that national childhood malaria prevalence had risen to 13%, from 10% in previous survey cycles. Health experts have attributed the increase to shifting weather patterns, rising temperatures and inconsistent use of mosquito nets.
In late August, medical experts and laboratory specialists also warned of a significant increase in severe malaria cases and rapid clinical deterioration among school-age children. The festival comes amid the implementation of the Uganda Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan 2026–2030.
As part of the plan, the Ministry of Health expanded Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC), a programme involving the intermittent administration of protective antimalarial doses. The intervention, which was previously limited to children under five years, has been extended to children up to 10 years in areas with highly seasonal malaria transmission, including Karamoja.
Lutwama said the festival will complement national malaria-control efforts by equipping children with practical knowledge and encouraging them to promote prevention measures at home, in schools and within their communities.
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