According to the Uganda Census report of 2024, 7.4% of Uganda’s population is from the Tooro region of which 3 out of every 20 children in the region are from Kyegegwa District. Reports from the Kyegegwa District Local Government Health Office reveal that only 44% of pregnant women/girls attend the 4th antenatal care, below the national target (52%). Key to mention is that of every 10, only 3 pregnant women are administered antimalarials, below the national target of 66%. Approximately 55.6% of deliveries take place at a health facility. The Uganda demographic and health survey report of 2022 reveals that the Tooro sub-region is ranked as the 6th (among 14 regions) with an Infant Mortality Rate of 36.9% for every 1000 live births.
Malnutrition in all its forms embraces undernutrition (wasting, stunting, underweight), inadequate vitamins or minerals, overweight, obesity, and resulting in diet-related noncommunicable diseases (such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers). Malnutrition in all its forms takes a heavy toll on the health, well-being and sustainable development of our populations. Uganda, continue to experience high levels of food insecurity, undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies.
According to the Food Security and Nutrition Assessment preliminary results of 2024, 55.4% of children under 5 years of age in Kyaka II refugee settlement are stunted (chronic malnutrition) by poor nutrition. At the same time, 33.8% are anaemic, only 74.5% continued breastfeeding after 1 year and 50% of the households with these children are headed by women.
At present, many of our communities suffer from a double burden of malnutrition, which consists of both undernutrition and overweight and obesity, as well as diet-related noncommunicable diseases. Despite some progress, poor maternal, infant, young child and adolescent nutrition continues to threaten the health and development of women, adolescents and children in the Region. KRC-Uganda as the lead nutrition actor in Kyegegwa District is working with other actors and the district to improve the nutritional status of these groups to reduce disease and prevent premature death, and maximize the development potential of children and the societies in which they live.
Fighting malnutrition in all its forms is one of the supreme global health challenges. The double burden of malnutrition bargains a sole and significant break for integrated action on malnutrition in all its forms. Addressing this double burden of malnutrition is key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular, Goal 2 (end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture) and Target 3.4 (reduce mortality from noncommunicable diseases and promote mental health), and the Commitments of the Rome Declaration on Nutrition, within the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition.
Related links
- National Population and Housing Census 2024 Preliminary Tables, https://www.ubos.org/wp–content/uploads/statistics/NPHC–2024–Preliminary–Tablesupload.xlsx
- Uganda Demographic Health Survey (UDHS) 2022, 09_2023UDHS_2022_Key_Findings_Presentation_B.pdf (ubos.org)
- Multidimensional Child Poverty Report, 2024, https://www.ubos.org/wp–content/uploads/publications/Child–Poverty–in–Uganda.pdf •
- Budget Call Circular 1 (Butrition Assessment in Refugee Settlements, Refugee Host Districts2023_FSNA_Final%20Report_Final%20Version_Feb22_2024_Printer_March15.pdf
- Kyegegwa DLG Data/presentations by the DHO.
By Nalunkuuma Sharon
Team Leader- KRC-Uganda, Kyaka field office
