Suspected cholera outbreak sends 13 people to hospital

A file photo of a medical worker attending to a suspected cholera patient at Sebagoro health centre in Hoima District last year.

BUSIA- More than 13 people are admitted to Dabano Hospital in Busia District after being suspected of suffering from cholera.

They are being monitored in a cholera isolation ward which has been set up at the hospital.

The patients are mostly from Madibira B Village, one of the densely populated slums in Busia town.

Medical supplies like intravenus therapy and other anti-biotics have been delivered to the hospital to treat the patients.

Dr Christopher Kato, the in -charge of Dabani Hospital said most patients have severe diarrhea while  some are vomiting, which points to possible a cholera outbreak in the area.

"The majority of them are children and women. We have put them on intravenus fluids and antibiotics treatment,” Dr Kato said.

 “This disease is very infectious. We urge residents to embrace preventative measures including hand washing, drinking clean water, among others measures, to avoid catching the disease,” he said.

Daily Monitor found out that the victims are from different households.

Some of them are from Madibira B village, where the disease was reported last week.

Ms Ali Lukiya, who has been hopitalised  said that her husband was the first person in the family to develop sysptoms.

"He was the first to fall sick. Later, other family member’s devopled diarrhea and started vomiting,” Ms Lukiya said.

Ms Lukiya, however, says she is worried that as family, that they may not afford hospital bills.

Dr Bena Nanyama, the Busia District Health Officer, could neither deny nor confirm the outbreak of cholera but acknowledged visiting the hospital and delivering some medical supplies.

“We have taken samples from patients and we are waiting for results to determine the cause of ailments," Dr Nanyama, said.

In the last three years, Busia District has been hit by several cholera epidemics.

In 2014, seven people died and over 100 people were treated while in 2015, over 241 were treated.

The majority of the cases were reported in Busia Municipal Council which is famous for poor sanitation, and lack of safe drinking water.

Some residents in the town practice open defecation, according to Mr Kennedy Wanyama, the programme officer at Africa Water Solutions, a civil society organisation.

 “Many house hold do not know how to use latrines,” he said.

Choleraremains a major public health threat, leading to many cases and deaths annually in Uganda. The country reports an average of 1,850 choleracases and 45 deaths annually. The districts of Nebbi, Hoima, Buliisa, and Mbale contributed to 60 percent of all reportedcholeracases between 2011-2016.