By Our Reporter,
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has laid off at least 700 Ugandan health workers due to a significant funding shortfall. The organization’s country representative, Matthew Crentsil, announced the decision last week, citing a drastic reduction in financial support despite the continuous influx of refugees into the country.
“We have made some painful decisions, including laying off our workers, due to the reducing financial and material support, despite the continuous and increasing influx of refugees into the country,” said Crentsil
The UNHCR had requested $846 million for Uganda’s Refugee Response Plan (URRP) last year but received only $294.3 million, representing a mere 35% of the total requirement. This funding gap has forced the organization to make “painful decisions,” including the laying off of health workers.
Despite the challenges, the UNHCR has continued to support refugees in Uganda, thanks to its collaborative relationship with the Office of the Prime Minister and other stakeholders. However, significant gaps in protection and assistance persist, and the organization is struggling to ensure self-reliance and adequate social protection for refugees and asylum seekers.
Uganda currently hosts over 1.6 million refugees and asylum seekers, making it the third-largest refugee-hosting country globally. The UNHCR has praised Uganda’s refugee open-door policy and progressive protection, which has made the country a popular haven in the region.
A recent verification exercise revealed that over 314,000 refugees did not show up, having either departed for other countries or returned to their countries of origin. The exercise provided vital socio-economic data for planning protection and assistance programs.
The layoff of health workers has raised concerns about the impact on refugee healthcare services in Uganda. The UNHCR has appealed for increased funding to address the growing refugee crisis in the country.
