Uganda launches NIS project to save  lives of children with malnutrition

UGANDA -Uganda has launched a comprehensive Nutrition Information System (NIS) project to combat acute malnutrition (wasting), a life-threatening condition. 

268,000 children in Uganda suffer from acute malnutrition (wasting). The country has partnered with the European Union, the Ministry of Health, WHO, and UNICEF since 2020 to combat this crisis.

The NIS project targets four districts—Kyegegwa, Kamwenge, Yumbe, and Koboko—and has significantly improved malnutrition management through data collection tools and interpretation. 

This has enabled early detection and timely intervention. Noela Nyirabashage, a mother from Kamwenge District, credits the project with saving her child’s life after a Community Health Worker identified severe acute malnutrition during a home visit.

The project has catalyzed substantial improvements in nutrition indicators nationwide. Between 2016 and 2022, stunting decreased from 29% to 26%, wasting from 4% to 2.9%, and overweight from 4% to 2.8%. 

In Kyegegwa District, improved data usage has led to a 94% cure rate among children under five treated for severe acute malnutrition.

Mr. Ojjo Zubeir, Yumbe District Health Officer, highlights the project’s impact: “The NIS project has given us a clearer picture of our nutrition challenges. We are now better equipped to plan interventions and allocate resources where they are most needed.”

The NIS project has also enhanced Tooro and West Nile patient care. Noela Nyirabashage notes, “Since the doctor started following my son in the health facility, his appetite has improved, he eats better, and he has more energy.”

Dr. Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam, WHO Representative to Uganda, emphasizes the importance of the NIS project in improving healthcare delivery and patient lives through data-driven approaches. 

Sustaining these results requires ongoing government investment and continuous support from partners.

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