Three children dead, five bedridden as strange disease hits Mayuge

MAYUGE.

Residents of Bukalenzi Parish, Malongo Sub-County in Mayuge District are living in fear following an outbreak of a strange disease believed to be bilharzia.

Bilharzia is a disease caused by parasitic flatworms called schistosomes.
The urinary tract or the intestines may be infected. Signs and symptoms may include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stool, or blood in the urine.

According to the Local Council leaders, three children have since died of the disease and more than five are bedridden at Bukoba A and B Villages on the shores of Lake Victoria.

Mr Robert Okware, the LC1 Chairman of Bukoba A village said all the deceased were below nine years.

The Mayuge District health surveillance focal person, Mr Edward Nabuyo confirmed the outbreak of the disease whose signs and symptoms he said include; bloody urine, high body temperatures, swollen abdomen and legs among others.

“We are highly suspecting it to be bilharzia because we observed that residents were taking contaminated water from the lake,” Mr Nabuyo told Daily Monitor in an interview earlier in the day.

He said: “We discovered that some adults were also having bloody diarrhoea but we are yet to take samples to different government departments to test and confirm.”

Ms Asanat Namukoma, whose three year old child is suffering from the disease narrated that the problem started when the baby was one year old.

The tearful mother of three also said that she had visited a number of health facilities but the condition of her child has failed to improve.

“He started last year by having high body temperature and swollen legs. He was weak and anaemic but even after taking him to a health centre, he continues to pass blood while urinating,” she added.

Her story is not different from her neighbor Ms Annet Namukose's whose four year old child continues to urinate blood.

“I do not know what the problem is because i got some treatment from the village clinic but the problem continues,” she said.

Bukoma landing site has a population of more than 3,000 people and most of them draw water from the shores of Lake Victoria where animals also go.
The village has only one borehole but majority of residents do not use it claiming that its water is salty.

Whereas the area has one public toilet which was provided by government, residents admitted that most of them get confortable by defecating in the lake.

“It is easier to go the lake because after easing there is available water to clean you self,” said James Tenywa,” a fisherman.