More than 55,000 Sudanese refugees have fled to Uganda, since the start of the conflict in Sudan in April 2023, the European Civil Protection and Aid Operations (ECHO) said in a bulletin.
This, it said, also includes 36,000 individuals since January 2024. Sudanese refugees are currently the largest group amongst new arrivals to Uganda this year with an average arrival rate of 4,500 persons per month.
The steady influx is happening in a fast-evolving humanitarian situation where the country operation experiences gaps in resources and needs additional support in order to continue providing an effective service.
Meanwhile Sudanese refugees now make up the largest demographic of newly arriving refugees in Uganda this year, accounting for 36%.
Most Sudanese refugees arrive in Kiryandongo settlement in mid-Western Uganda where 150-200 of them are screened at the reception center daily.
Resources in the settlement are severely strained, with a lack of medical supplies, medicine and adequate health infrastructure posing health and safety risks to the already vulnerable individuals.
More than a year of intense fighting in Sudan has forced millions to flee their homes to escape the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding. They reportedly arrive in nearby countries severely traumatized and in need of medical care and basic assistance that is often in short supply.
For refugee hosting countries, more funds are urgently required: today, the Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan remains only 23% funded. (ST)
