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Eastern Uganda records high malaria cases
Despite indoor spraying, malaria cases have remained high in the eastern region. PHOTO | FILE
Health officials and leaders have expressed concern over the rampant malaria cases in eastern region, especially among children and pregnant mothers.
While giving a malaria situation report this week, the Namutumba vector officer, Mr Jeremiah Gombaniro, said the district malaria positivity rate stood at 67.2 percent in January, 58.3percent (February, 63.4percent (March) 63.6percent (April), and 58.8percent (May).
“The total malaria deaths from January to May is about 10 so far. For instance, we registered three deaths each in February and March,” Mr Gombaniro said.
He added that four people died in April and May.
“The biggest proportion of the population admitted in various health facilities are malaria-related cases,” Mr Gombaniro said.
He said the rise in malaria cases has led to rapid drug stock-outs in the health facilities, especially in rural areas.
“The bed capacity is limited. Even the consumption rate of blood is extremely very high, especially for children below the age of five,” Mr Gombaniro said.
Other districts with high malaria cases are Budaka, Butebo, Pallisa, Butaleja, Tororo, Busia, and Kibuku.
Mr Patrobas Mufubenga, a stakeholder, said although the government has made several interventions in the fight against malaria, it is not sustainable to reduce the outbreaks.
“The continued upsurge of malaria cases is due to non-sustainable funding which worsens the situation,” he said.
Issue
Dr Moses Mugondi, a health worker, said treatment of malaria is mostly self medication.
“People should be discouraged from self-medication because it does more harm than good,” he said.
Mr Moses Mugonyi, the Mbale City health officer, attributed the cases in Bugisu and Bukedi sub-regions to parents who delay to take their children for medication.
“They practice self medication and when the situation worsens, they rush to the health facility when it is too late,” he said.
Dr Rashid Simuyi, the officer in-charge Kibuku Health Centre IV, said despite the distribution of treated mosquito nets and indoor residual spraying in the district, the cases have not reduced.
Dr Simuyi said one in two patients at the facility is a malaria case.
“That number is high and intervention to fight malaria hasn’t worked well,” he said.
Surveys indicate that four in every 10 patients who present at health facilities in the district test positive for malaria.Kibuku recorded 13,056 cases in January and 9,925 cases in February.
Dr Elisa Mulwani, the Budaka District health officer, said malaria cases are surging on a daily basis.
Malaria cases diagnosed and treated increased in the district by 56 percent between January and April 2020.
The Butebo health officer, Dr Nathan Tibakou, acknowledged the malaria prevalence in the district.
For Pallisa, the district health officer, Dr Godfrey Mulekwa, said the positivity rate increased from 5-7 percent to 15-20 percent in one year.
