According to the Nakasongola District Situational report dated October 7th, 2024, at least 21 Mpox cases have been confirmed since the first case was detected on September 9th, 2024.
Authorities in Nakasongola district are struggling to
contain and manage patients as cases of Mpox disease escalate. According to the Nakasongola District Situational report dated October 7th, 2024, at least 21 Mpox cases have been confirmed since the
first case was detected on September 9th, 2024.
The report indicates that the Lwampanga town council has
registered 13 cases whereas Lwampanga and Wabinyonyi sub-counties have registered three and two cases respectively. Other sub counties including Kalungi, Lwabiyata, and Nakasongola town councils have registered one
case each.
The report further indicates that 11 people have recovered and
been discharged. Nine are still admitted at the Nakasongola Health Center IV isolation facility and one at Entebbe Referral Hospital. The report says that five suspects have been isolated at
Lwampanga Health Center 111 and four others are still in the community pending confirmation.
By gender, at least 11 confirmed cases are male and 10 are
female. The report also
revealed that by occupation, nine are fishermen, five are commercial sex workers,
three are business persons and two are primary pupils. Others are a single case of a prison inmate and boda boda rider.
Dr. Agaba Byamukama, the Nakasongola District Health
Officer explained together with partners, they have intensified contact tracing, adding that they have so far managed to follow up 67 out of the 84 people listed. He added that 16 laboratory personnel had been oriented on
Mpox case sample management and activated their transport system.
However, Dr. Agaba said that the fight is still hampered by
a lack of fuel to pick samples as well as patients from the community. Agaba also decried the lack of funds to feed patients isolated
at Nakasongola Health Center IV and Lwampanga Health Center 111.
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Sam Kigula, the LC 5 Chairman of Nakasongola said the district is yet to receive funds since the
outbreak was confirmed. Kigula added that the district has no budget for
emergencies and is currently waiting for support from the Ministry of Health as
well as its partners.
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Aggrey Winston Muramira, the Nakasongola Chief
Administrative Officer said that health workers are yet to get Personal protective
equipment among others in the fight against the disease. Muramira said that he has already sent a list of areas in which
they need help from partners and the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Bernard Lubwama, a Senior Epidemiologist at the Ministry of
Health said that Mpox is an infectious disease and for every 100 people
that are infected, at least 10 can die. Lubwama said that the Ministry of Health and partners have deployed teams in Nakasongola to offer support to the
District Task Force to contain the spread of the disease and ensure no deaths.
On Monday, the teams convened at Nakasongola Health Department to draw strategies and mobilize resources to fight the spread of the disease. Among the partners already on the ground are the World Health Organisation, Baylor Uganda, UNICEF, Makerere University Water Reed Project, and World Vision among others. According to the World Health Organization, the common symptoms of Mpox are a skin rash
or mucosal lesions which can last 2–4 weeks accompanied by fever, headache,
muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.
Mpox can
be transmitted through close contact with someone with
contaminated materials, infected persons, or animals. As of October 3rd, 2024, the Country had registered 58
cases of Mpox and Nakasongola is the most affected district.