Health ministry speaks out on mumps outbreak
Mumps is characterised by painful enlargement of the salivary glands. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Many parents have raised the concern about the disease, which was disrupting the learning of their children
The Health Ministry has sent surveillance teams to districts with reported outbreaks of mumps, a viral disease which manifests with fever, puffy cheeks and swollen jaw.
This was revealed yesterday by Dr Allan Muruta, the Commissioner for Public Health Emergencies, in an interview at their headquarters in Kampala.
“Mumps is a vaccine-preventable disease. It has been reported in schools in Kampala Metropolitan Area of Wakiso, Mukono and Kampala. A number of children have been infected,” Dr Muruta said. He didn’t specify the exact number of infected children.
The commissioner said since the country lacks test kits for mumps, they have been relying on clinical diagnosis (based on the assessment by doctors) to tell whether one has mumps.
“Our team from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) regional operation centre were able to engage the affected districts and the other technical officers have established that clinically, it is a disease similar to mumps,” he said.
Mumps, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), is spread via direct contact or by droplets such as cough from the infected individuals. Mumps is frequently reported in children aged 5-9 years of age, although both adolescents and adults may be affected, the WHO said.
Many parents, especially those in Kampala Metropolitan Area, have raised the concern about the disease, which was disrupting the learning of their children.
Ms Gloria Nabugoda, a resident of Kampala, said in a brief comment that her child was infected but “we treated and [is] now okay”. However, Mr Ismail Ssekyanzi, another resident of Kampala, said he is treating his children who have also been infected.
An adult from Kampala, who preferred to speak on condition of anonymity to express himself freely, said he is also suffering from mumps.
“I am on treatment. I first thought it only catches children but it’s me now, a mature man!” he wondered. The patient said is doing self-treatment with antibacterials following advice from friends. This signals a problem as the disease is caused by a virus, not bacteria.
Dr Hellen Aanyu, the head of the paediatrics unit of Mulago Hospital, said there is no approved drug for mumps. “It is a self-limiting disease, but it goes away on its own. We don’t give antibiotics, we only give painkillers.”
Dr Esther Babirekere, another paediatrician at the hospital, said they have also seen increases in the number of children presenting with mumps at the facility. She warned that the disease has some long-term effects such as infertility.
“Some of that virus may go into private parts of the men and it affects the testis and those men may be infertile. We encourage people to vaccinate against this,” she said.
The senior clinical officer for Kampala-based Kisugu Health Centre, Mr John Omongo, said they also registered increases in cases of mumps.
“I think the peak was mid-last month because it has started reducing. We are compiling a report to see the total number of cases we registered,” he said.
The senior clinical officer of Kisugu Health Center, Mr Omongo, said they don’t provide a specific treatment for mumps as it is self-limiting.
“When a person comes to hospital, we give them assurance that the disease will disappear within a week or two. But since there are symptoms such as fever and pain, we give painkillers,” the clinician said.
Dr Muruta explained that the government doesn’t have a vaccine for mumps because it is not regarded as a very dangerous disease.
“We don’t have the vaccine in government. It is not because of the cost, but maybe because the disease is not very dangerous,” he said.
However, Dr Babirekere of Mulago Hospital said the vaccine is in private facilities. “Mumps is an immunisable disease only that the vaccine is a bit expensive and it is not on our routine immunisations. Those who can afford can go for it. It is available,” she said. Our quick survey found that one can access it at around Shs80,000 from private players.
According to the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two doses of mumps vaccine are 88 percent effective at preventing.
Background
Mumps, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), is an acute disease of children and young adults, caused by the mumps virus. The virus is spread via direct contact or by droplets such as cough. Mumps is frequently reported in children aged 5-9 years of age, although both adolescents and adults may be affected, the WHO said.
