Cholera kills two in Mbale, 8 hospitalised

Cholera has so far claimed two lives while eight  people are currently receiving treatment at Bukasakya Health Centre III in Mbale Industrial City Division.

According to a  February 7 report submitted to the City Health office by the officer in-charge of Bukasakya Health Centre III, Ms Irene Nabulwala,  cholera broke out in Masanda Cell, Mbale Industrial City Division.

“We found out that one family member of Mr Swalik Sentongo, a resident of Masanda Cell, had lost his daughter Hawa Naula, 19, who was working at Mbale Industrial Park and started complaining of constant diarrhoea and vomiting on February 3 after leaving work in the evening. She died on the night of February 4 and was buried on February 5 in Kibiniko Cell in Tsabanyanya Parish,” the letter reads in part.

The letter also said Mr Mwima Luston 32, an immediate neighbour to the family of the late Naula, whose wife also works in Mbale Industrial Park, confirmed presenting with the same signs of constant vomiting, and diarrhoea.

The Mbale City Health Officer, Dr Moses Mugonyi, confirmed the outbreak of cholera in the area but was quick to say that they have managed the disease.

“Cholera started three days back but we are managing it. We don’t want to scare away people,” Dr Mugonyi said on Sunday.
The Deputy Resident City Commissioner (RCC) in charge of Mbale Industrial City Division, Mr Hamza Banja, said residents of Bukasakya Sub-county are living in fear of contracting the disease.

“The victims were rushed to hospital and we took samples for testing. The results came and one had cholera,” Mr Banja said, adding that the city has created an isolated treatment facility at Bukasakaya Health Centre III.
“When samples were taken for investigation, they turned out positive confirming the outcome of the epidemic and so far we registered one death,” he said.

Mr Banja appealed to the locals to always keep personal hygiene by using clean pit-latrines and washing hands immediately after using the pit-latrines, among other measures.
Many communities in various suburbs of Mbale city lack pit-latrines and also use contaminated water.
However, Mr Steven Masiga, the chairperson of the Health Management Committee of Bukasakya Health Centre III, said relevant units of government and other well-wishers should intervene. 

“Our health teams are moving in the communities to sensitise our people on the outbreak of cholera. Our field surveillance team is still scanning the ward to ascertain the extent of the outbreak,” he said.
Mr Masiga appealed to the Ministry of Health and other donors like USAID and Spotlight Africa, to intervene and supplement the local efforts on the ground.

Mr Joseph Makwali, a teacher, attributed the disease outbreak to a lack of access to clean water, adding that the locals had started sharing water with animals from streams and rivers.
Mr Fred Masaba, a religious leader, urged locals to be vigilant such that the affected patients come for treatment as early as possible.