The 2014-15 Uganda Malaria Indicator Survey (2014-15 UMIS) was implemented by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) and the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) of the Uganda Ministry of Health from 1 December 2014 through the end of January 2015 on a nationally representative sample of more than 5,000 households. All women age 15-49 in these households were eligible for individual interviews if they were either usual residents of the households or visitors present in the household on the night before the survey. During the interviews, they were asked questions about their recent births, malaria prevention during pregnancy, treatment of childhood fevers, and knowledge of malaria. Children age 0-59 months who lived in the selected households or were visitors present in the households on the night before the survey were eligible to be tested for anaemia and malaria, using blood from a finger- or heel-prick blood sample. Results were immediately available and were provided to the children’s parents or guardians. Using the same finger- or heel-prick sample, thick and thin blood smears were also made in the field and transported to the Molecular Research Laboratory at Mulago Hospital. Microscopy was performed to determine the presence of malaria parasites and to identify the parasite species.
The funding for the UMIS was provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID). ICF International provided technical assistance as well as funding to the project through The DHS Program, a USAID-funded project providing support and technical assistance in the implementation of population and health surveys in countries worldwide.