The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday that Uganda’s refugee camps are highly overcrowded due to an increase in individuals fleeing conflict in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
Matthew Crentsil, the UNHCR’s representative in the nation, stated that Uganda desperately needs support to care for its people.
“Uganda is already the largest refugee-hosting nation in Africa, sheltering some 1.8 million people displaced by conflicts across the region,” according to statistics compiled by the UNHCR.
Over 41,000 individuals have crossed into Uganda from the Congo since the beginning of the year.
Crentsil reported that more over 80 percent of them were women and children, with many arriving in critical condition.
Refugees recounted terrible reports of violence in the Goma district of eastern Congo, around 70 kilometers from the Ugandan border.
There, the M23 militia continued to battle the Congolese army, displacing hundreds of thousands.
“With resources stretched thin, Uganda has already had to scale back childcare and education services in the camps due to funding shortages.
“Authorities are now prioritising the prevention of disease outbreaks,” Crentsil said.
