Uganda Launches Emergency Food Aid in Karamoja After 19 Hunger-Related Deaths

Uganda’s government has begun an emergency food‑relief operation in the Karamoja region after a prolonged drought and successive crop failures left an estimated 1.5 million residents facing acute food shortages. The intervention follows reports of at least 19 hunger‑related deaths in the eastern part of the country, underscoring the severity of the crisis that has been building for months as seasonal rains failed to arrive.

The relief effort, coordinated by the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, aims to distribute staple food items to the most vulnerable households while health agencies monitor rising malnutrition rates. Authorities have warned that without swift assistance, the humanitarian situation could deteriorate further, and they are urging international partners to support the ongoing response.