US reduced funding assistance to Uganda in 2018

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The United States slashed down its funding support to Uganda in 2018 by more than 3 Billion shillings below what it disbursed in 2017.

The support fell from 3.6 trillion shillings in 2017 to 3.3 Trillion shillings in 2018.

According to the Third Report to the Ugandan People published by the US Embassy in Uganda, 1.9 Trillion shillings was spent in the Health Sector to among others provide 2 Million insecticide-treated mosquito nets to residents.

Addressing the media at the launch of the report at the US embassy in Kampala, the US Ambassador to Uganda, Deborah Malac said Congress has been struggling to prevent significant bilateral aid cuts to countries around the world over the last three years.

Malac says unless something changes, the assistance will now remain stable.

The money was used to train health professionals, helping in the fight against HIV/AIDS through the Presidents Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR), reducing malaria and maternal and child mortality. It says 2.6 Million children benefitted from nutrition assistance.

About 206.1 Billion shillings was spent on creating opportunities for prosperity in the agribusiness, marketing and Entrepreneurship, energy and the environment while 1.1 Trillion shillings was spent on promoting peace, stability and Defense institution building, refugees and global health security.

Malac said the focus of the intervention was on five critical priority areas of the Ugandan government health, education, propensity, democracy and regional stability among others.

Dr Lisa Nelson, the Centre for Disease Control-CDC Country Director, said research around nodding Syndrome scourge in Northern Uganda has now linked the mysterious health condition to neglected tropical diseases.

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