Measles confirmed in Kasese

The Kasese District Surveillance Focal Person, Mr Arafat Bwambale, has confirmed that three children below the age of five have been diagnosed with measles.

The affected children belong to families in Nyamwamba West Cell of Nyamwamba Division in Kasese Municipality.

Mr Bwambale explained that on January 29, they received an alert from the area's Village Health Team (VHT) members after they became suspicious of the disease.

Following the alert, further investigations were conducted, leading to the confirmation of measles in the affected children.

"We were alerted by the VHT members that they had come into contact with three children aged 24 months, 34 months, and 40 months old, exhibiting skin rash symptoms. Recognizing the urgency, we swiftly collected samples from them and sent them to the National Virus Research Institute for testing. The results confirmed that they were positive," he said on Friday.

Mr Bwambale said they are actively following up on 10 other alerts within the district, with results expected to be released soon. He attributes the outbreak of the disease to frequent movement of people, continuous misconceptions about immunization, religious beliefs, and prevailing myths among others.  

"Some of our people still harbour ancient beliefs about immunization, leading to a boycott of the exercise. This, in turn, puts lives at risk of contracting diseases, as their immune systems would be weakened and susceptible to various illnesses, including rubella and measles," he said.

Dr Stephen Bagonza, the Acting Kasese District Health Officer, expressed concern over the parents' refusal to acknowledge their children's infection, despite the successful treatment and discharge.

"The three suspects were put on treatment and were discharged, but after the discharge, their parents shifted from Kasese town to Kitswamba sub-county in Busongora North. However, they are progressing well. Our worry now is that their parents have denied our Village Health Team members the opportunity to make regular follow-ups to assess the progress of the patients, alleging that their children are not sick," he said.

Lt Maate Magwara, the Kasese Deputy RDC, urged health authorities to enhance their efforts in sensitizing the public about the importance of immunization and the utilization of existing health facilities for seeking medical attention.