Drug-Resistant Salmonella Threatens Karamoja’s Children, Scientists Warn
A new study reveals nearly half of food and water sources in Uganda’s Karamoja region are contaminated with drug-resistant bacteria — posing a silent threat to child survival and nutrition.
Kampala, Uganda
A joint investigation by researchers from Makerere University and the Uganda Virus Research Institute has uncovered an alarming rise in drug-resistant Salmonella in Karamoja — one of Uganda’s most impoverished regions. The findings show that 47 percent of food and water samples consumed by children were contaminated, and over 90 percent of bacterial strains resisted azithromycin, a key antibiotic.
Experts warn that this discovery compounds existing public-health crises in Karamoja, where malnutrition and unsafe water already endanger thousands of children under five.
“We are staring at a perfect storm — hunger, infection, and resistance,” said Dr Agnes Naluwagga, lead epidemiologist on the study. “What’s worrisome is that the drugs we rely on simply don’t work anymore.”
The study, funded by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (Gavi), also detected multi-drug resistance in more than half of tested bacteria. The bacteria’s presence in milk, porridge, and open-well water suggests the contamination spreads from livestock to humans through food handling and poor sanitation.
Health officials are urging urgent government response, calling for routine antibiotic-resistance monitoring, investment in clean-water infrastructure, and better veterinary practices.
“Karamoja needs targeted interventions, not short-term fixes,” said Dr Charles Otim of the Ministry of Health. “Antimicrobial resistance is not a future threat — it’s here.”
Drug-Resistant Salmonella Threatens Karamoja’s Children, Scientists Warn
Nearly half of food and water sources in Karamoja are contaminated with drug-resistant bacteria, a new study finds, heightening health risks in Uganda’s poorest region.
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