Posted on 26 May 2023
In a recent press release, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) expressed concern for the increasing malnutrition among refugees in Uganda. Over the period from 2021-2022, the issue increased by 50% - with 9,300 people facing severe malnutrition - and this is set to continue, sitting at 2000 people in the first quarter of 2023 alone.
Ongoing conflict in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Sudan has meant an influx of refugees into Uganda, with almost 30,000 people fleeing there in 2023. In the lead up to World Nutrition day on May 28, Elijah Okeyo, the IRC Uganda Country Director, says that “the current situation in Uganda's refugee settlements paints a bleak picture.”
The situation is worsened by the World Food Programme’s new approach to food assistance, a “prioritisation exercise” to respond to decreased funding, and meaning many refugees will get less or no food assistance.
Okeyo urges for global support, saying “We need immediate action, and additional resources to fund critical service delivery, including health and nutrition, as well as more sustainable mechanisms such as improving livelihoods and environment-friendly agriculture.”