INTRODUCTION:
at masaka police health centre iii, the target for malaria vaccination among children under one year between july and september 2025 was 63, with an expected coverage of 90%, following the introduction of the malaria vaccine in uganda.¹,² however, routine HMIS 105 data showed coverage levels of 28 (44.4%), 20 (31.7%), and 17 (26.9%) for malaria vaccine doses one, two, and three, respectively.⁴ persistently low coverage increases the risk of infant morbidity, mortality, and malaria-related complications.¹ this study assessed individual, socio-cultural, and health system determinants of malaria vaccine uptake among caregivers of children under one year attending masaka police health centre iii, masaka city, uganda.

METHODS:
a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 60 randomly selected caregivers of children under one year. data were collected using structured researcher-administered questionnaires. data analysis was performed descriptively and results were presented using frequencies and percentages.

RESULTS:
only 30% of caregivers reported that their children had received the recommended malaria vaccine doses, while 57% had not completed the doses and 13% were unsure. key determinants influencing uptake included caregiver knowledge (57%), perceived vaccine safety (35%), family support (53.3%), religious beliefs (63.3%), and health worker support (71.6%), consistent with evidence on vaccine acceptance in sub-saharan africa.⁵–⁷ major barriers identified were myths and misconceptions about the vaccine (66.7%), long waiting times at the facility (86.7%), and poor satisfaction with health services (53.3%).⁵,⁶

CONCLUSIONS:
malaria vaccine uptake among children under one year at masaka police health centre iii remains suboptimal due to knowledge gaps, socio-cultural influences, and health system challenges, similar to findings reported in other african settings.²,⁵,⁶