Save the Children has raised the alarm over worsening child malnutrition in Uganda, warning that the situation could deteriorate further in the coming months, particularly in the drought-hit Karamoja region.
The organisation said the number of acutely malnourished children in Karamoja, northeastern Uganda, is projected to increase by 25 per cent by 2026, amid worsening food insecurity and the effects of prolonged dry spells linked to El Niño.
According to new figures cited by Save the Children, the number of children suffering from malnutrition has risen from 122,100 to 154,200 since an assessment conducted in June.
It said an estimated 38,000 of the affected children are either suffering from, or are expected to develop, severe acute malnutrition requiring urgent medical intervention.
Karamoja, which is home to about 1.6 million people, has experienced a deterioration in food security in recent months, with poor rainfall and crop failures placing additional pressure on vulnerable households.
Save the Children said El Niño-related dry conditions are having a significant impact on children’s health and nutrition, particularly in Karamoja and other drought-prone parts of Uganda and East Africa.
Sparse rainfall has contributed to localised crop failures and increased plant stress, further threatening food availability and household livelihoods.
The organisation warned that without urgent intervention, the deteriorating food and nutrition situation could leave more children vulnerable to severe malnutrition and related health complications.
