The World Food Programme (WFP) is to phase out food aid and HIV/AIDS support in Uganda, a move likely to affect over 1.5 million people, an UN official said hereon Thursday.

Stanlake Samkange, WFP country representative here told Xinhua in an interview that the UN agency, in a new country strategic plan, is making some difficult choices about where it can be most effective in helping the government to fight hunger.

"WFP's new global strategic direction reiterates that the WFP will always support the priorities of the governments of countries where it operates. In Uganda's case, the government is more focused on upstream activities as compared to food aid/support to people affected by HIV/AIDS," he said.

According to the food agency, in 2008 school feeding was expected to support 650,000 people, HIV/AIDS support an estimated 173,000, maternal child health and nutrition 247,000 people and Food for Assets an estimated half a million people.

Samkange said that since there are many actors dealing with HIV/AIDS support in the country, the WFP will only pay special attention to the particular needs of HIV/AIDS affected people within its new and ongoing activities.

However, the official said school feeding will stay in drought-stricken Karamoja in northeastern Uganda in order to reduce vulnerability of the children there.

He said other programs are being reviewed and retargeted to ensure that they respond effectively to changing needs, especially in Karamoja, and among the internally displaced persons in war-ravaged northern Uganda.

It is not clear when the phase out will end but there are reports that it will end by December this year.

(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2008)