NEWS | May 20, 2008 (Kampala)
Kakaire Kirunda
It may take close to two years before the Hepatitis E epidemic that is ravaging northern Uganda can be contained decisively.
This is according to Dr Sam Okware, the commissioner for community services in the Ministry of Health.
Speaking to Daily Monitor in an interview yesterday, Dr Okware said the breakdown or lack of sanitation facilities especially in Kitgum District will not make it easy to control the spread of the Hepatitis E virus.
“Latrine coverage in Kitgum is only at 6 percent and unless it reaches 60 percent, containing this epidemic will still be a problem. Matters have not been helped because people are defecating all over the place and getting water from contaminated sources,” he said.
The Government officially announced the outbreak of Hepatitis E in Kitgum on December 4, 2007, two months after the first case was registered on October 25. A task force was set up only this month but sections of the affected community think its impact has not been felt. The epidemic, which initially struck in Madi-Opei Sub- county, has spread across Kitgum and is threatening neighbouring districts.
An aid worker in the area who requested not to be named yesterday echoed Kitgum Woman MP Beatrice Anywar who told Daily Monitor last week that the “so- called task force only exists on paper and those who think it exists should cross- check that.” But Dr Okware disagreed saying the taskforce is headed by the local leaders and was working with the government and its partners to control the epidemic.
“Our person from the ministry is still there. There is also a public health education van moving in the area to educate the people on the importance of hygiene and sanitation regarding the control of hepatitis,” he said although Daily Monitor could not readily establish this.
A sanitation campaign with the help of Amref that will see a boost in latrine coverage over the next two years has also been launched, according to Dr Okware. Official statistics from the ministry put the cumulative cases registered since the outbreak was announced to 1,384, while deaths stood at 31.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Hepatitis_E_may_take_two_years_to_contain_-_Ministry.shtml
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
