Officials at the Ministry of Health said Tuesday that despite years of interventions to tackle malnutrition, progress has fallen short of expectations.
Efforts have ranged from promoting fortified foods and dietary supplements to special feeding programs and, more recently, distributing egg powder to malnourished children in the most affected districts. However, nutrition expert Dr. Samialie Namukose said these measures have led to only modest gains, with stunting declining from 29% in 2016 to 26%.
More than 2 million children under age 5 are chronically malnourished, and about 230,000 are severely wasted and in need of urgent care.
Namukose said recent mass screening for malnutrition revealed high levels of ignorance among caregivers, particularly regarding moderate malnutrition, which can quickly progress to severe forms if not addressed.
She spoke at the launch of a new anti-malnutrition campaign that will adopt a community-based approach targeting the broader population, rather than focusing primarily on women and children as in previous initiatives.
Dr. Charles Olaro, director general of health services, said the ministry is shifting strategy to raise awareness about proper nutrition while addressing deep-rooted myths about food in order to drive behavior change at the community level.
As part of the campaign, he said authorities will use both traditional and digital media to deliver targeted messages, emphasizing that malnutrition affects not only low-income households but also more affluent populations.
Health officials noted that, alongside the 230,000 children who are wasted, a similar number are overweight or obese, driven in part by increased consumption of fast food, which raises the risk of noncommunicable diseases.
Zakaria Fusheini, UNICEF’s chief of nutrition, urged Ugandans to support the campaign, themed “Nutrition for All,” saying it comes at a time when many children are not receiving adequate diets. He said data show that up to 90% of children in Uganda experience what is defined as child food poverty.
Beyond Karamoja, which has long recorded high malnutrition rates, the ministry said the Tooro subregion and refugee communities continue to report elevated levels, with recent spikes observed in refugee settings.
