Nabweru Schools Shut as Parents Resist Measles-Rubella Vaccination

What the report says

Three schools in Nabweru, in Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District, were temporarily closed after a dispute over parental consent for measles-rubella vaccination, according to Nile Post. The affected schools are Light Islamic School, Skylight School and Nabweru Community Nursery and Islamic Primary School. The Nansana Division Health Department ordered the suspension of operations until children aged nine months to 59 months are vaccinated and can show vaccination certificates.

The report says health workers visited the schools to carry out the exercise but were unable to proceed because school authorities could not complete the vaccination process without parent approval. Nabweru health officials said the vaccine is available free of charge at health centres for families who do not want their children immunized at school. They also urged parents and local leaders not to obstruct the campaign, arguing that delays could leave children exposed to preventable illness.

School administrators gave a mixed picture. Light Islamic School said it supported the campaign but some parents had declined consent, while Skylight School said parents had not authorized the vaccinations. Nabweru Community School said it had tried to bring parents and health workers together, but some parents still refused. The school also said time constraints in the nationwide campaign made sensitization difficult.

The closure came during Uganda’s five-day measles-rubella vaccination campaign, which Nile Post said was running from October 1 to October 5, 2026. The broader exercise is intended to improve vaccine uptake and address immunity gaps. In general public-health terms, such campaigns are often used to prevent outbreaks and reach children who may have missed routine doses.