Uganda: Malaria Cases Double in Flooded Areas
Posted to the web 13 September 2007
THE number of malaria cases has doubled in the flood-stricken areas of northern and eastern Uganda, according to the health ministry.
"The number of patients has gone up and the proportion of malaria cases has also gone up," said Dr. Sam Okware, the commissioner for community health.
"Whereas malaria on average accounts for 25% of all cases, in the flooded areas it is 50%." The second most common complaint is diarrhea, followed by cough, he said.
The findings are based on a survey carried out in 15 sub-counties in the eight most affected districts. The districts included Bukedea, Kumi, Soroti, Katakwi, Amuria, Bukwa, Dokolo, Bukwo and Amolatar.
Epidemics have not yet broken out, according to Dr. Okware, but he estimates that 300,000 people are at "high risk" of contracting water-borne diseases like cholera and dysentery. "We expect the worst situation six to eight weeks after the water has receded."
The ministry has, therefore, opened two cholera units in Soroti with a capacity of 200 patients each, he explained.
Emergency supplies have been sent to all the affected districts, composed of drugs to treat the three main diseases, as well as water testing kits and water purification tablets.
In addition, village health teams have been formed to carry out home-based care for families that are stranded due to the floods. "The objective is to treat children within 24 hours of the outbreak of malaria," Dr. Okware said.
Mass immunisation and health education programmes have also been launched in the affected areas.
"We are spreading health messages about hygiene and sanitation, telling people to always boil water before drinking, through radio adverts, film vans, pamphlets and posters. We also dispatched one million doses of measles vaccines and 1 million doses of polio vaccines to the 22 affected districts."
The floods, caused by unusually long and heavy rains across the Horn of Africa, destroyed gardens, disrupted food supplies, cut off villages and washed away roads and bridges.
Mount Elgon region is particularly hard hit, with Bukwo district now reachable only by air after landslides blocked the road to neighbouring Kapchorwa.
The flooded roads and damaged bridges are seriously hampering the delivery of aid to the most vulnerable in the remote villages.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, 12 major roads in the North and the East have been closed due to floods, affecting 22 districts in Teso, Lango, Acholi, Karamoja and West Nile regions.
"The 12 roads have been closed because they are impassable and too risky to use," said spokesperson Apollo Muginda.
The roads closed include Muyembe-Moroto, Kapchorwa-Suam, Aryomoi-Lopei and Kotido-Abim in Karamoja district, as well as Gulu-Atiak-Nimule, the main access road to South Sudan.
Posted to the web 13 September 2007
THE number of malaria cases has doubled in the flood-stricken areas of northern and eastern Uganda, according to the health ministry.
"The number of patients has gone up and the proportion of malaria cases has also gone up," said Dr. Sam Okware, the commissioner for community health.
"Whereas malaria on average accounts for 25% of all cases, in the flooded areas it is 50%." The second most common complaint is diarrhea, followed by cough, he said.
The findings are based on a survey carried out in 15 sub-counties in the eight most affected districts. The districts included Bukedea, Kumi, Soroti, Katakwi, Amuria, Bukwa, Dokolo, Bukwo and Amolatar.
Epidemics have not yet broken out, according to Dr. Okware, but he estimates that 300,000 people are at "high risk" of contracting water-borne diseases like cholera and dysentery. "We expect the worst situation six to eight weeks after the water has receded."
The ministry has, therefore, opened two cholera units in Soroti with a capacity of 200 patients each, he explained.
Emergency supplies have been sent to all the affected districts, composed of drugs to treat the three main diseases, as well as water testing kits and water purification tablets.
In addition, village health teams have been formed to carry out home-based care for families that are stranded due to the floods. "The objective is to treat children within 24 hours of the outbreak of malaria," Dr. Okware said.
Mass immunisation and health education programmes have also been launched in the affected areas.
"We are spreading health messages about hygiene and sanitation, telling people to always boil water before drinking, through radio adverts, film vans, pamphlets and posters. We also dispatched one million doses of measles vaccines and 1 million doses of polio vaccines to the 22 affected districts."
The floods, caused by unusually long and heavy rains across the Horn of Africa, destroyed gardens, disrupted food supplies, cut off villages and washed away roads and bridges.
Mount Elgon region is particularly hard hit, with Bukwo district now reachable only by air after landslides blocked the road to neighbouring Kapchorwa.
The flooded roads and damaged bridges are seriously hampering the delivery of aid to the most vulnerable in the remote villages.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, 12 major roads in the North and the East have been closed due to floods, affecting 22 districts in Teso, Lango, Acholi, Karamoja and West Nile regions.
"The 12 roads have been closed because they are impassable and too risky to use," said spokesperson Apollo Muginda.
The roads closed include Muyembe-Moroto, Kapchorwa-Suam, Aryomoi-Lopei and Kotido-Abim in Karamoja district, as well as Gulu-Atiak-Nimule, the main access road to South Sudan.
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