Kampala, Uganda – The Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Sam Engola, has held high-level talks with the UNICEF Uganda team, led by Country Representative Dr. Robin Nandy, to review progress on a landmark $150 million partnership and address the escalating humanitarian crises in the Karamoja sub-region.
During the meeting at his office, the Minister reviewed the implementation of this year’s $75 million allocation and discussed the upcoming second tranche of funding. The new phase includes a critical 10% allocation dedicated specifically to the ongoing Ebola response, signaling a heightened focus on health security amid the current outbreak .
Minister Engola expressed grave concern over the severe food insecurity crisis gripping the Moroto district, where the government has recently confirmed a devastating loss of 19 lives due to starvation. "This heartbreaking loss is a stark reminder of the utmost urgency of our interventions," Engola stated, calling for immediate and scaled-up action to prevent further casualties in the region .
The discussions also covered the escalating Ebola situation, with the 10% allocation from the new funding tranche earmarked to bolster containment efforts. Uganda continues to face cross-border threats from the outbreak, which has seen imported cases from the Democratic Republic of Congo .
"We reviewed our ongoing partnership progress and mapped out the next phase of support," said Engola. He expressed gratitude to Dr. Nandy, the UN family, and all partners for their unwavering commitment to the people of Uganda as the government works to address both the immediate health threats and the deep-seated food security challenges .
