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Nodding treatment centre in ruins
Idle. Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Winnie Kizza (centre) and MPs from Acholi sub-region at the vandalised nodding syndrome centre in Kitgum District last week. PHOTO BY POLYCAP KALOKWERA
What you need to know:
- Background. The treatment centre was constructed in 2016 at a cost of Shs150m.
- “We cannot trek for several kilometres to reach Kitgum hospital where the services are being offered at the moment. These children are too heavy for us to carry on our backs,” Daizy Akullu, parent
Kitgum. When the nodding syndrome treatment centre at Tumangu in Akwanga Sub-county, Kitgum District, was set up, residents hoped that it would bring services closer to the affected children who were trekking for several kilometres for medication.
About 3,000 children mainly in Kitgum, Pader and Omoro districts in Acholi Sub-region are affected by nodding syndrome, a neurological illness which affects mainly children characterised by nodding of the head.
Tumangu Treatment Centre was established by Hope for Human, non-governmental organisation, at a cost of Shs150 million and was commissioned by President Museveni in March last year.
However, since then, there has never been any activity at the facility and several of its properties have gone missing, while others have gone rusty. Iron sheets have been extracted from the structure while utensils, sewing machines, beds and mattresses have all been stolen.
Mr Caesar Okot, who oversees Hope for Human activities in the region, says they are disappointed that what they laboured to put in place has all gone to waste.
“We hoped to change the lives of the children in the area but it has not been the case. As Hope for Human, we are in shortage of funds to run the facility and we call upon the government to take over,” he says.
Hope for Human came up in 2012 to support children with nodding syndrome through feeding, psycho-social support and vocational training skills at Odek in Omoro District and Tumangu.
Vandalised
Mr Okot says several items at the facility have so far have been stolen, ranging from sewing machines, mattresses and beds, saucepans and printers.
Mr Charles Peko, the Akwang Sub-county councillor, says since Hope for Human left the treatment centre, no government official has ever bothered to check on the facility.
“Wrong people have vandalised it and stolen all what was stocked for the wellbeing of the children and up to now, no one has ever been brought to book,” he says.
“Since November, the treatment centre has turned into intimate meeting point for youth,” Mr Peko adds. The sub-county chairperson, Mr Charles Oyoo Adot, says they reported the case of theft to Kitgum Police Station but up to now, no effort has been made to investigate the matter.
“We are incapacitated to hire security personnel to safeguard the treatment centre,” Mr Adot said.
He adds that the village where the treatment centre is located does not have any nearby police post that could render immediate investigation and security.
Ms Daizy Akullu, whose two children are suffering from nodding syndrome, says her hopes have faded as the treatment centre remains unutilised.
“We cannot trek for several kilometres to reach Kitgum hospital where the services are being offered at the moment. These children are too heavy for us to carry on our backs. I remember when Hope for Human was in place, we were beneficiaries of the out reaches and the centre was also closer to us,” Ms Akullu says.
She observed that since the closure of the facility, many of their children have retarded in terms of growth and recovery. The health centre is about 20km from the main nodding syndrome treatment centre at Kitgum Hospital. A total of 380 children are grappling with the condition in the sub-county.
Dr Geoffrey Akena, the coordinator of the nodding syndrome in Kitgum District, says the district lacks capacity to reach out to victims in hard-to-reach areas.
Kitgum has 583 cases of nodding syndrome. It estimated that 10 per cent of children recovering from the syndrome have talking and walking difficulties.
The root cause of the syndrome is not yet established.
