HealthNews

Isingiro: LCV Blames Spread of Rift Valley Fever on Refugee Influx

Isingiro Chairman LCV Jeremiah Kamurali has blamed the increase of Rift Valley Fever in the district on the growing  number of refuges entering Isingiro through the porous borders.

Kamurali was yesterday  meeting journalists at Little Woods in Mbarara town.

He addedthe Ministry of Agriculture has also failed to contain the disease both in human and livestock in western Uganda.

Kamurali says  Isingiro is one of the most affected districts  because of its geographical location bordering with Tanzania, Rwanda and crossing Lake Mburo national park.

“Rift valley disease has persisted in Isingiro because of  a porous border; we became like a punching bag because of the influx of refugees crossing from Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania.

He says that a number of  people have already died because of the epidemic in the area.

“We have already buried some of the important people on the team of fighting rift valley fever, we lost Joseph who was Commandant of Orukiinga Refuge Settlement and many others,” said Kamurali.

Mbarara District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. Peter Ssebutinde reports that the disease has crossed to the districts of Isingiro, Kiruhura, Sembabule, Mbarara, Ibanda and Kasese.

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He described signs of hemorrhagic fever as severe headache, stomach pain, vomiting, among others adding that it kills a person within 6 days when he/she receives no treatment.

Chairman Kamurali reports that the epidemic crossed to Isingiro on 26th June, 2018 but has spread rampantly for the past 3 days.

He added that the District Emergency Team was formed to make an isolation centre to treat the infected patients and report new outbreaks within the district.

“One was put at Rwekubo and another will be put at Kashojo health centre 3 in the middle of Nakivale settlement.”

However he says the isolation camps are not stocked with drugs.

“We are seeking intervention from NHCR, UNICEF and the Health Ministry to give us drugs to contain the disease.”

Among the heavily affected sub counties include; Kashumba, Orukiinga and Isingiro and sheema.

 

 

Blood samples which were taken to Kampala show that out of the 50 cattle, 23 were found infected with rift valley fever in Isingiro district.

In humans, out of 28 suspected cases, 19 were discharged and 6 died while others are recovering.

 

The Director Mbarara Referral Hospital Dr. Celestine Barigye says the disease is being contained and most of the patients will be discharged but says he will avail Chimpreports with the whole statistics of the disease in western region.

 

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