Pressure as refugee numbers soar
South Sudanese refugee children line up for food after arriving at Rhino Settlement Camp in Arua District recently. File photo
Kampala.
Refugee agencies and government are struggling to support the increasing number of refugees fleeing fighting from neighbouring South Sudan.
More than 37,890 people have fled to Uganda since the latest fighting broke out on July 10 between rival factions loyal to President Salva Kiir and his sacked deputy Riek Machar.
“The influx is putting serious strain on the capacity of collection points, and transit and reception centres, which are too small for the growing number of arrivals,” a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) statement dated July 26, reads in part.
The refugee desk officer in the Office of Prime Minister (OPM), Mr Titus Jogo, also confirmed to Daily Monitor the numbers.
“We have planned for food that could be sufficient for 50,000 refugees and in the past three days, we have been receiving 3,000 refugees on daily basis. But the refugees keep telling us that there is insecurity on the way because there are many roadblocks as others are stuck in Juba and could not cross to Uganda,” Mr Jogo said.
He said due to the overwhelming number of refugees, the OPM is planning to relocate 25,000 refugees to Bidibidi reception centre in Yumbe.
Mr Jogo said since the 2013 war, Adjumani is accommodating 170,000 refugees in the various settlement camps, adding that there was need for construction of more water points to cater for more refugees.
The UN refugee agency says the number that has crossed into Uganda in the past three weeks is higher than the refugees Uganda received in the entire first six months of 2016.
On July 25 alone, 2,442 refugees were received in Uganda from South Sudan according UNHCR. Most of those fleeing the conflict (90 per cent) are women and children.
Despite the large numbers entering Uganda, UNHCR reports that efforts to support the refugees are hampered by lack of resources. Aid agencies have also identified a new settlement area in Yumbe district which is expected to host up to 100,000 people once gazetted. Also, temporary communal shelters are being constructed to accommodate the arriving refugees.
Meanwhile, a total of 16,037 children have been immunised against polio and measles according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).
Catherine Ntabadde Makumbi, a communications specialist with Unicef Uganda, said 5,501 children were immunised against polio while 11,536 children were immunised against measles.
