Uganda: WFP cuts food aid

  1. Posted on Wednesday 1 October 2008 - 05:54
    deodatus
    deofuga@yahoo.com
    Deodatus Mfugale, AfricaNews reporter in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
    The World Food Programme (WFP) has cut food aid to HIV/AIDS sufferers in Uganda due to shortage of funds. The situation would affect 1.5 million people in a country whose efforts to combat the pandemic has reportedly slackened in recent months. School children are also to be affected because of a cutback in the school feeding programme.
    food
    WFP representative in Uganda, Stanlake Samkange told the media on Monday that the HIV positive who are internally displaced, children in the vulnerable region of Karamoja and new mothers and their babies are among those who would continue to get food supplies from the UN organization, which has been providing food aid to about 173,000 HIV-positive people in Uganda.

    The Monitor newspaper quoted James Kigozi, the spokesperson for the Uganda Aids Commission, as saying that the food aid was a stop gap measure and new sources of aid would be needed immediately to ensure that people continue to be supplied with their food requirements.

    However, his views differed with those of some HIV/Aids activists who have criticized WFP's decision to withdraw food aid saying that there is no point of providing treatment to HIV positive people if they cannot be assured of food.

    “HIV positive people undergoing treatment need to be given food. They are not strong enough to work in farms and feed themselves,” said Lydia Mungherera , an HIV-positive physician and HIV/AIDS activist. She explained that the rising food prices and declining agricultural activities in the country make food aid necessary.

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