Uganda is facing a worsening humanitarian crisis driven by climate shocks, large-scale refugee displacement, food insecurity, and increasing vulnerability among refugees and host communities, particularly in Karamoja and West Nile. In response, a US$75 million allocation from the United States to the Uganda Humanitarian Fund (UHF) has been distributed among three UN agencies and six international NGOs to deliver prioritized, lifesaving assistance in areas with the greatest needs. The allocation is coordinated by the United Nations Resident Coordinator's Office (RCO) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), with a focus on addressing malnutrition in Karamoja and supporting refugees and host communities in the Western and Northern regions and Kampala. The funding is supporting critical sectors including food security, health, nutrition, protection, shelter, and WASH, while also advancing the Humanitarian Reset through more coordinated, efficient, accountable, multisectoral, and locally driven action to maximize the impact of limited resources.From 9–20 August, the OCHA Uganda-Kenya team, as well as the RCO, held a monitoring mission in Karamoja and West Nile, monitoring the impact of the Uganda Humanitarian Fund (UHF) on projects in the area. The Karamoja leg of the monitoring mission took the team through Moroto, Kotido and Kaabong, visiting WFP food stores, district leaders, health facilities and community outreach sites to see how humanitarian support is reaching communities facing food insecurity, malnutrition, climate shocks and insecurity. Partners including WFP, UNICEF and AFI are working alongside government health teams to deliver essential services to some of the region’s hardest-to-reach communities.Moroto – 10 AugustWFP Warehouse At the WFP warehouse in Moroto, supplies were being prepared for distribution to health facilities and outreach posts. Ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF) and other nutrition commodities are planned and dispatched to reach communities as close to the last mile as possible. The system allows health teams to request additional supplies when cases are identified, with deliveries planned in advance to ensure that children enrolled in treatment do not run out of essential nutrition commodities. Staff reported that they had not experienced a situation where these commodities were unavailable. Moroto District Health Office

At the district health office, Dr. James Lemukol, the District Health Officer, described food insecurity, environmental and economic shocks and climate change as major drivers of malnutrition. The response has focused on rapidly expanding life-saving health and nutrition interventions, including door-to-door screening and outreach services. Since April, UNICEF, WFP, the Ministry of Health and district teams have worked together to train health workers and Village Health Teams, map outreach sites and strengthen data collection and monitoring. Five rounds of nutrition screening and outreach were carried out, reaching more children than initially targeted. But while the immediate response is helping children recover, health workers warned that the underlying conditions at household level remain a major concern.  “Children may improve while they are in the programme, but when they are discharged they fall back to the same circumstances,” Dr. Lemukol said. “The cycle could easily repeat again.” For families, food insecurity is closely linked to livelihoods. Local leaders said many households are struggling to find enough food, while drought and erratic weather have made farming increasingly difficult. Some families turn to mining and other forms of casual labour because they have few alternatives.Loputuk Health Center III At Loputuk Health Center III, Sister Lucy, who has worked at the facility for 36 years, described the challenges facing families in the surrounding communities. The lack of rain has left fields scorched and reduced food production. Acute malnutrition has traditionally peaked between November and May but changing weather patterns are making it harder to predict when families will face the greatest shortages.The health centre receives ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), supports community outreach and screens children for malnutrition. It serves 12 outreach sites, including hard-to-reach communities. Between April and July 2026, the facility participated in three mass-screening cycles, reaching 4,923 children under five. The screenings identified children with moderate and severe acute malnutrition and connected them to treatment and supplementary feeding programmes.Over the same period, the prevalence of acute malnutrition in Loputuk sub-county fell from 18.1 per cent in the first round to 6.8 per cent in the fifth. But the health centre itself faces constraints, including limited space and storage. Staff also highlighted the need for greater support to community volunteers who play a critical role in reaching families beyond the facility.Lorikokwa Outreach SiteAt Lorikokwa, health services are brought directly to the community. Supported by UNICEF, WFP and AFI, the outreach team provides nutrition screening and treatment alongside health education on nutrition, malaria prevention, sanitation and hygiene. Community members are also shown how to prepare nutritious foods using locally available ingredients. Women attending the outreach site shared that malnutrition is inseparable from the wider struggle to put food on the table. Many households rely on casual work, selling firewood or charcoal, collecting water, cleaning houses, washing dishes or carrying bricks. Others try to grow sorghum, beans, maize, pumpkin and other crops, but unreliable rainfall can destroy the harvest. Some families eat only once a day when food is scarce. Others said that although food is available in markets, they do not have enough money to buy it.Women also described sharing specialized nutrition products with other children in the household when there is nothing else to eat.Kaabong – 11 AugustKopoth Health Center III In Kaabong, the same pressures are evident. At Kopoth Health Centre III, health workers described a deteriorating food security situation, with some families increasingly relying on gold mining to survive. The community is also affected by prolonged drought, crop failure, cattle raiding and insecurity. These challenges are closely connected to other risks facing children, including school dropout and child labour. Health workers stressed the importance of timely humanitarian support and continued investment in nutrition services.Nakatapan Outpost – Lolelia SouthFurther into Lolelia South, the team visited Nakatapan health outpost, serving 18 villages and more than 9,500 people. Here, health workers provide a range of services, from nutrition screening and immunization to malaria prevention, sanitation and hygiene education. Families are taught practical measures such as safe food preparation, drying food on racks and improving hygiene in the home. The outreach team also demonstrated locally produced supplementary foods. Andre Foods International (AFI) is developing a biscuit made from locally available ingredients as an alternative way of supporting children with moderate acute malnutrition. Yet families still face major barriers to accessing services. Some travel for hours to reach the health post, while others have to walk long distances to collect water. Community dialogue with women receiving nutrition supportDuring a discussion with women enrolled in the supplementary feeding programme, participants described the difficult choices families make when food runs out. Some women said they leave home early in the morning and walk for several hours to reach the health facility. Others said they rely on mining to earn money for food, sometimes taking their children with them. At home, many had planted beans, cassava, groundnuts, sorghum, sesame and vegetables, but much of the harvest had wilted because of the lack of rain. One of the most immediate concerns was simply what the family would eat that evening. Water is another major challenge. Some families reported spending up to two hours walking to collect it. Communities said they wanted health and water services closer to where they live, as well as better access to schools and maternity services. Looking beyond the immediate responseThe Karamoja mission ended with a debrief highlighting both the gains made and the work still needed. Outreach services have expanded access to life-saving nutrition screening, treatment and immunization, and essential nutrition commodities have remained available. But the needs on the ground remain greater than the current response.One concern is that children can relapse after completing treatment if their families return to the same conditions of food insecurity. There is therefore a need to look beyond treating malnutrition and address the household and community factors that cause it. Water, sanitation and hygiene also remain critical gaps, alongside the need for better communication with communities, stronger follow-up and continued support for Village Health Teams. For Douglas Lubowa, UNICEF Social and Behaviour Change Officer covering Kaabong and Moroto, the region needs solutions that go beyond responding to each new crisis. “We keep coming back to this place, we make progress, and then climate change sets communities back again. We need to find sustainable ways to help people build livelihoods and become more resilient.” That resilience is what communities themselves are asking for: reliable access to food and water, better roads and health services, sustainable livelihoods and opportunities for children to remain in school.The humanitarian response is helping save lives today. The longer-term challenge is to make sure those gains endure, and that communities in Karamoja have the resources, services and opportunities they need to withstand the next shock. 
 


 
 
 

Uganda held a two-day national validation of its Vulnerability Profile, an important step in preparing for the country’s anticipated graduation from the United Nations Least Developed Countries (LDC) category.The workshop, organised by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development in collaboration with UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), brought together government, the United Nations, private sector, civil society, academia and development partners to review Uganda’s structural vulnerabilities and agree on priority actions for a smooth transition.Uganda first met the criteria for LDC graduation in March 2024. If the country sustains this progress at the next triennial review in March 2027, it is anticipated that Uganda could graduate in 2032, following the required five-year preparatory period. Speaking at the workshop, the UN Resident Coordinator in Uganda, Leonard Zulu, said graduation should be viewed as an opportunity to accelerate Uganda’s broader transformation.“Graduation should become a catalyst for broader economic transformation, rather than simply a change in international classification.”The Vulnerability Profile highlights areas requiring continued attention to ensure that Uganda remains on a positive development trajectory, including productive capacity, resilience to shocks, human capital, quality jobs and inclusive and sustainable development. It also underscores the importance of strong partnerships as Uganda prepares for the transition. The Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Shartsi Kutesa Musherure, said Uganda’s focus must now be on ensuring that economic growth delivers tangible benefits for its people.“The challenge is no longer simply growing the economy but ensuring that growth translates into jobs, household incomes, enterprise development and prosperity for every Ugandan.”The validation was aimed atstrengthening national ownership of the Vulnerability Profile and help translate its findings into a clear, sequenced policy agenda aligned with Uganda’s Fourth National Development Plan and the Tenfold Growth Strategy.For the United Nations, the process is an opportunity to support Uganda in building a more inclusive, resilient and prosperous economy as it moves towards and beyond LDC graduation. 

Uganda is looking to countries across the Global South for new ideas, expertise, investment and practical solutions as it advances its development ambitions under the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV) and the Tenfold Growth Strategy.The opportunity was at the centre of a high-level consultation held in Kampala on 27 August 2026, convened by the Office of the Prime Minister and the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office in Uganda. Ambassadors, Consuls, and Heads of Mission from Global South countries joined the discussion on how South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) can be fostered in Uganda to contribute more deliberately to the development of the country and of the South.“South-South and Triangular Cooperation is an enabler for contributing to Uganda’s development. The task at hand is to build on the partnerships and experiences that already exist and create a more coherent platform through which Uganda and its Southern partners can develop and scale mutually beneficial cooperation” said UN Resident Coordinator Mr. Leonard Zulu, underscoring the potential of South-South partnerships to support Uganda’s transformation. The approach is particularly relevant as the global development landscape changes and traditional development assistance declines. For Uganda, SSTC can provide access to countries that have tackled challenges similar to those the country is addressing today, while also creating space for Uganda to share solutions from its own experience.“The countries that can sometimes teach us most are those that have already travelled the road we are now beginning to travel,” said Mr. Nkeramihigo Julius Victor, Permanent Secretary for Government Policy Coordination in the Office of the Prime Minister.Uganda itself has valuable experience to share, including in refugee and host-community management, agricultural research, public health and epidemic response, peace and security, and decentralised governance.The discussion therefore called for a shift from scattered and predominantly bilateral North-South partnerships towards building mutually beneficial partnerships that deliver results within more structured South-South engagements.“South-South Cooperation gives us the opportunity to move beyond the traditional distinction between a country that ‘gives’ and the country that ‘receives’,” said Mr. Nkeramihogo.“We must move from relationships to partnerships, from partnerships to programmes and from programmes to measurable results.”Participants also highlighted opportunities to strengthen trade, investment and tourism links with Southern partners, particularly Uganda’s neighbours, which remain important markets and sources of tourism. To turn the discussion into action, participants proposed establishing a regular South-South platform, convened by the Office of the Prime Minister and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, to bring partners together twice a year.They also agreed to map the knowledge, expertise and comparative advantages of Southern partners in Uganda to identify opportunities for concrete and bankable projects. The consultation marks an important step towards making SSTC a more strategic tool for Uganda-connecting experience, expertise and investment to the country’s development priorities and turning cooperation into measurable results.

The United Nations in Uganda is pleased to confirm that the Ebola Outbreak in Uganda, which was declared on 15 May 2026, has been successfully contained in accordance with International Health Regulations. Completing 42 consecutive days without a reported new confirmed case is a major achievement and testament to the country’s leadership and health professionals.Uganda was issued a certificate by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 27 August 2026 confirming the end of the Ebola outbreak. The UN Family in Uganda congratulates the Government and people of Uganda, partners, health workers and communities on this major public health achievement.This accomplishment reflects the effectiveness of Uganda's Ebola Outbreak containment coordination structures and experienced response systems. Uganda’s national and district coordination task force structures brought decision-makers, technical teams and response partners together under a clear operational framework. This enabled robust surveillance, investigation of alerts, rapid deployment of resources and quick action and coordinated response activities.“Uganda has demonstrated that with decisive action, Ebola outbreaks can be brought under control quickly,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “With a focus on preparedness, increased surveillance to find potential cases in health facilities and communities, and careful management of points of entry, countries can keep people and goods moving while ensuring people stay safe, or receive care if they are sick.”Uganda, with support of national and international partners, interrupted local transmission rapidly and prevented wider spread through strong government leadership and early comprehensive actions including case detection and confirmation, contact tracing, isolation and clinical care, infection prevention and control, community engagement and strengthened surveillance at health facilities and points of entry.Uganda authorities activated rapid response teams, deployed mobile laboratories, and strengthened screening and monitoring, particularly for international travel and cross‑border movements. It was a demonstration of what strong national leadership, preparedness, community vigilance and international solidarity can achieve when they come together at the right moment.The 2026 outbreak was caused by the Bundibugyo virus after infected individuals crossed into Uganda from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In total, Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases, including 15 imported cases and two deaths. The effective management of the outbreak did not happen by chance.Preparedness put to the testFrom the first confirmation of the outbreak on 15 May 2026, Uganda's Ministry of Health moved quickly to activate the national response led by a High-level Task Force.The Government led the overall response, coordinating national and district health teams, contact tracing, laboratory testing, border surveillance, infection prevention and control, case management, risk communication and community engagement.By 16 July, all 836 identified contacts had been followed up, while surveillance had been strengthened in 36 high-risk districts and at 38 points of entry. Health workers received training and essential equipment and supplies to safely identify, isolate and manage suspected cases.The country's investments in preparedness also paid off. Uganda's Emergency Medical Team, established and trained before the outbreak, was deployed rapidly. The Ebola Treatment Unit at Mulago Hospital was commissioned within hours of the outbreak declaration, allowing suspected and confirmed cases to be isolated and treated safely. WHO noted that Uganda's surveillance systems, laboratory networks and emergency medical teams were important assets in the response.“This shows that Ebola is defeatable if we adhere to measures and establish strong systems,” said Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, Uganda’s Minister of Health. “I commended health workers and support teams for their courage, resilience and professionalism during the response.”The Government's leadership extended beyond the health sector. Security agencies, local governments, community health workers, local leaders, communities and the media all played roles in identifying risks, supporting surveillance and ensuring that accurate information reached the public.One national response, strengthened by partnershipWhile the Government led the response, Uganda did not face the threat alone. The United Nations mobilized its teams. The United Nations Country Team, under the leadership of UN Resident Coordinator Leonard Zulu and with WHO providing technical health leadership, activated a coordinated UN system-wide response to complement the national effort. The UN immediately repurposed US$3.5 million from existing resources to support immediate Government-led response efforts and mobilised additional technical, operational and financial support. In May, the United Nations and humanitarian partners launched a US$15.8 million emergency appeal for a three-month response plan covering May to August. The plan supported interventions in high-risk areas, including refugee-hosting districts, with a focus on surveillance, case management, infection prevention and control, risk communication, community engagement, logistics, nutrition, WASH and continuity of essential services.The United Nations system supported several parts of the national response. To this end, the U.S Government provided significant technical and financial support to contain the outbreak. By June, an additional US$4 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) was earmarked to support the response, including surveillance, laboratory capacity, case management, infection prevention and control, logistics, emergency protection, risk communication and community engagement.WHO, with support from CERF and partners such as the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the governments of Denmark, Germany, Ireland and Australia, as well as the Gates Foundation, mobilised technical experts, strengthened laboratory capacity, supported surveillance, Risk Communication and Community Engagement, coordinated logistics, and provided medical supplies and equipment to protect frontline health workers. UNICEF led community engagement and risk communication, reaching households, schools and religious and cultural leaders with life-saving information, and worked with communities to counter misinformation and build trust in the response. UNICEF also supported infection prevention and control in health facilities and schools, provided water, sanitation and hygiene supplies, and helped sustain essential services for children, including immunisation, nutrition, education and child protection, so that routine care continued alongside the outbreak response.UNDP partnered with the Uganda Professional Drivers Network (UPDN), the Ministry of Health, and cultural institutions to strengthen infection prevention measures at key transport hubs and along critical transit corridors, while enhancing community awareness, risk communication, and preparedness among transport workers, travellers, and communities in high-risk areas.IOM supported screening, surveillance and mobility management at points of entry. WFP helped deliver food and critical supplies, including support for patients, people in isolation and frontline health workers, while UNHCR strengthened preparedness in refugee-hosting areas.At Entebbe International Airport, the United Nations, through IOM and with support from the United States, handed over health equipment to strengthen screening, surveillance and infection prevention. The equipment included thermal scanners, a multipurpose tent and 60 automated hand-sanitiser dispensers. This support is being extended to the land border with the DRC.Mr. Zulu, the UN Resident Coordinator in Uganda, described such support as an investment in the country's ability to confront future health emergencies.“Today’s handover is therefore much more than a transfer of equipment. It is a practical investment in preparedness, early detection, and rapid response. It is also a visible reminder that solidarity matters in moments like this.”He stressed that the partnership was designed to strengthen, rather than substitute for, Uganda's national systems.“The United Nations system has brought together technical health expertise, logistics, and repurposed resources to complement Government response and support the continuation of essential services, community engagement and cross-border preparedness.” The human side of the achievement Behind the statistics are health workers who worked long hours, families who faced uncertainty, communities that reported suspected cases and people who stepped forward to be monitored and tested.There were also the frontline teams working in treatment units, laboratories, airports and border communities - often under difficult conditions and with the knowledge that Ebola can be deadly.WHO Representative in Uganda, Dr. Kasonde Mwinga, described the achievement as a collective success.“This milestone reflects the dedication of Uganda’s leadership, health workers, case investigation teams, communities and partners who have worked hard to interrupt transmission.”Her message, however, carried an important warning: an Ebola-free declaration is not the same as the end of vigilance. “While this is an encouraging moment, it is not the end of the response,” Dr. Mwinga cautioned, stressing the need for continued surveillance, rapid investigation of alerts and sustained community engagement.Uganda has therefore maintained heightened surveillance at border areas and points of entry and strengthened cooperation with the DRC on cross-border preparedness and response. The Ministry of Health has also emphasized that Uganda remains open for travel, business and tourism while maintaining a high level of health-system readiness.The country continues to support the DRC response. Through the logistics cluster hub in Entebbe managed by WFP, flight rotations from Entebbe to Bunia deliver health cargo on behalf of seven partners, and trucks carrying cargo are dispatched along the same corridor via land and water. UNHAS passenger flights between Entebbe and Bunia have also resumed, twice weekly. An achievement worth celebratingUganda's Ebola-free declaration deserves to be celebrated.It is a triumph for the health workers who stood on the front lines; for communities that remained vigilant; for the Government institutions that acted quickly; and for the partners who supported the national response.It is also evidence that investments made before a crisis - strong surveillance systems, trained emergency teams, laboratories, treatment facilities and community networks-can make the difference when an outbreak occurs.Perhaps most importantly, Uganda's experience demonstrates the power of partnership.The Government provided leadership and coordination. Health workers delivered care. Communities helped detect and prevent transmission. The United Nations and other partners brought technical expertise, logistics, resources and support to strengthen the national effort.Together, they helped stop a potentially devastating outbreak before it could spread widely.WHO continues to advise against travel and trade restrictions related to Ebola outbreaks. WHO does not recommend suspending flights, closing borders, or denying entry to travelers from affected countries, including Uganda. Countries are encouraged to maintain international travel and trade while implementing appropriate public health measures that support early detection, preparedness and cross-border collaboration, in accordance with the International Health Regulations.