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Uganda eliminates river blindness but struggles with bilharzia
Health Minister, Dr Ruth Jane Aceng speaks during Uganda Onchocerciasis Elimination Expert Advisory committee (UOEEAC) meeting at Sheraton Hotel on Tuesday. Courtesy photo
What you need to know:
- WHO representative, Dr Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam yesterday said: “These gains recorded over the years come with inherent challenges including limited domestic financing. An increase in domestic funding will facilitate sustainability and prevent donor dependency. Another challenge is how to accelerate cross-border collaboration especially in the districts bordering our neighbor.”
The Health Minister, Dr Ruth Jane Aceng on Tuesday said that government is on track to eliminate river blindness burden in the country by next year but worried that they are still struggling with Bilharzia.
“Recent epidemiological and entomological assessments indicate that interruption of Onchocerciasis transmission in Madi mid-North may be possible by 2020. As of today, out of the 17 foci which were formerly endemic for Onchocerciasis covering 40 districts, only 16 districts are still implementing interventions while 24 have achieved and stopped mass treatment,” Dr Aceng reported during the Uganda Onchocerciasis Elimination Expert Advisory committee (UOEEAC) meeting at Sheraton Hotel.
However, she warned that Onchocerciasis transmission has remained a challenge in areas bordering South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo.
She added that they are mobilizing resources to commit to the fight against Bilharzia which is mainly affecting communities around Lakes; Victoria, Albert, George and Kyoga. Bilharzia is a water-borne disease also called schistosomiasis. It can damage the liver, kidney, cause infertility and bladder cancer.
“Bilharzia is a big burden in the country. Bilharzia continues to be a re-emerging public problem. We have been intervening but as long as we still have the vector and the worm in the water, it is difficult to eliminate because this worm is transferred from one area to another through feaces,” Dr Aceng said.
Mr Thomas Unnasch, the UOEEAC chairperson yesterday cited Budongo, Lhubiriha and Madi-mid North as their highest priority areas for surveillance this year before the country is declared free of Onchocerciasis.
Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness is a parasitic disease caused by the filarial worm Onchocerca volvulus, according to World Health Organisation. It is transmitted through the bites simulism blackflies.
According to Dr Aceng, neglected tropical disease programme is heavily supported by donors and cautioned district officials to be more accountable when dealing with their resources so that they achieve their intended reasons.
“Partners need accountability for them to mobilise more resources from those who donate. We have had challenges with some districts which don’t give accountability on time while others don’t give at all. That is a big challenge for us because when you go back to the donors, they are not willing to give the money to continue supporting the programme,” Dr Aceng noted.
She asked the public to ensure their sanitation improves in order to prevent the spread of these tropical diseases.
WHO estimates that 2.7million people in Uganda last year required preventive chemotherapy for Onchocerciasis and another 2.3million individuals were treated in 2017.
WHO representative, Dr Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam yesterday said: “These gains recorded over the years come with inherent challenges including limited domestic financing. An increase in domestic funding will facilitate sustainability and prevent donor dependency. Another challenge is how to accelerate cross-border collaboration especially in the districts bordering our neighbor.”
Mr Patrick Karamura Mwira, Province of Ituri Minister of Health in DRC appealed for financial support to help eliminate the diseases in both countries.
“If it is not dealt with, Uganda can fight it but it will come back because the neighbouring countries have it and there are cross-border activities which we can’t prevent,” Dr Mwira said in a separate interview at Sheraton.
