The Ministry of Internal Affairs, through the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control, announced the change in a notice issued on Friday, saying travellers to Uganda no longer need to provide proof of yellow fever vaccination.

“Accordingly, travellers to Uganda do not require a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate for entry,” the ministry said.

The clarification followed a request from the Uganda Tourism Board seeking confirmation on whether travellers were still required to present the certificate at the border.

The ministry noted that the yellow fever vaccination certificate is also not listed among the requirements on Uganda’s e-visa application portal or the website of the National Citizenship and Immigration Control.

The change means international travellers, including those arriving from countries where yellow fever vaccination certificates had been required for travel to Uganda, can enter the country without the document.

Uganda introduced the mandatory yellow fever vaccination card requirement for travellers entering and leaving the country in May 2024. The measure was introduced amid efforts to increase vaccination coverage and address vaccine hesitancy.

At the time, the requirement was accompanied by a nationwide free yellow fever vaccination campaign targeting about 14 million people aged between one and 60 years.

Yellow fever is a viral disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes and can cause severe illness. Vaccination remains an important public health measure in countries where the disease poses a risk.