Porous DRC, South Sudan borders expose West Nile to infectious diseases
The executive director, Infectious Disease Institute (IDI) Dr Andrew Kambugu, (third right) and other IDI officials listen to explanations inside the new Laboratory in Arua City on February 9, 2023. PHOTO/ FELIX WAROM OKELLO.
What you need to know:
- Majority of the districts in West Nile stretching from Pakwach, Nebbi, Zombo, Arua district, Arua City, Maracha, Koboko, Yumbe, Moyo to Adjumani borders both DRC and South Sudan where there is less control on movements of animals and people especially those crossing through the undesignated points.
- Majority of the districts in West Nile stretching from Pakwach, Nebbi, Zombo, Arua district, Arua City, Maracha, Koboko, Yumbe, Moyo to Adjumani borders both DRC and South Sudan where there is less control on movements of animals and people especially those crossing through the undesignated points.
The porous borders of South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are exposing the West Nile sub-region to infectious diseases for both animals and humans, the Infectious Disease Institute (IDI) has said.
Majority of the districts in West Nile stretching from Pakwach, Nebbi, Zombo, Arua district, Arua City, Maracha, Koboko, Yumbe, Moyo to Adjumani borders both DRC and South Sudan where there is less control on movements of animals and people especially those crossing through the undesignated points.
Speaking at the launch of the Shs413 million regional Animal Laboratory in Arua City on Thursday, the executive director of Infectious Disease Institute, Dr Andrew Kambugu, said: “This region borders the two countries and has a huge number of refugee populations that move with their animals. In order to avert outbreaks like Anthrax and other neglected tropical diseases, we need to strengthen surveillance in the border districts.”
He said the Laboratory would enable quick tests done on animals so that action could be taken faster instead of transporting samples to Entebbe. “We have a running global health security and strengthening health systems programs. So this Laboratory will enable us to work and control diseases that may come from the neighboring countries easily,” he said.
The region has in the past experienced outbreaks of Plague, Anthrax, Yellow Fever, West Nile Virus and Rift Valley Fever in humans. And Anthrax, brucellosis, Rift Valley Fever and Rabies in animals. The history has been traced from either South Sudan or DRCongo.
The District Veterinary Officer for Moyo, Dr Richard Akule, said: “With this Laboratory, we need to promote trade in livestock products because we have a great number of livestock both locally and at regional trade. We need to ensure that there is food safety in the region because we can do a lot of export of beef, milk and other products.”
About the Laboratory
The United Kingdom established a Fleming Fund (FF) Programme to respond to the global threat posed by drug resistant infections. Under the Fleming Fund Country Grant 2 project in Uganda aims to strengthen surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMC), antimicrobial use (AMU) and antimicrobial consumption (AMC) in animal, human and environmental health sectors through a one health approach.
As a result, IDI secured funding of Shs413 million to renovate, equip the Animal laboratory where several tests will be carried out in the West Nile Sub-region.
From 2018 to September 2021, cases of Rabies were reported in Arua, Moyo, Adjumani and Yumbe districts.
In 2019, Uganda Virus Research Institute recorded outbreaks of Anthrax in Madi-Okollo, Terego and Yumbe districts. Also in 2019, Yellow Fever outbreaks were reported in Moyo and Maracha districts.
Still in 2019, cases of West NileVirus were recorded in Moyo district. And again from 1029 to 2021, cases of Brucellosis and Rift Valley Fever were reported in Obongi, Moyo, Terego, Madi Okollo and Yumbe districts.
