Rise in malaria cases worry Kabarole leaders
KABAROLE- Leaders in Kabarole and Fort Portal city are worried over the increase in malaria cases, saying the figures are alarming.
Current statistics indicate that the malaria positivity rate for Kabarole district in the period 2021/2022 stands at 33.3 percent, too high compared to the national target of 7 percent.
The district biostatistician Monica Matama said Kabarole is ranked among the districts in the country with the high malaria prevalence rates that are affecting the lives of many and productivity.
Matama observed that despite the fact that government has always provided mosquito nets to the population free of charge, most people have not utilised them effectively.
According to the acting Kabarole District Health Officer [DHO] Brian Kisembo, the rise in the number of malaria cases is due to poor diagnosis and cultural beliefs.
“Failure of our health workers to take vital measurements like checking temperature, blood pressure, weight among others has led to poor diagnosis. Some health workers miss out at the beginning and end up giving wrong results” Kisembo this reporter.
He said wrong diagnosis leads to treating the wrong illness, leaving the real illness to reach a stage of severity.
“Another issue is about superstitions, people still believe in traditional beliefs like extracting false teeth [Ebiino]…in children which they still confuse with symptoms of malaria. And they widely believed to be treated exclusively by herbalists,” he said.
Kisembo said, as a result, children are brought to hospital very late when malaria has progressed into severe disease, making it difficult for health workers to save them.
He said in health facilities now, the biggest number of deaths recorded in children are due to malaria.
“In order to contain the high malaria prevalence rate, there is a need to intensify sensitization of the public about the dangers of malaria and proper utilisation of mosquito nets, integration of malaria in all activities, health in-charges to support community awareness and record keeping,” he said.
Tom Mugisha, the Malaria and HIV/AIDS district Focal Person advised the health centres to give mosquito nets to pregnant women who come for their first antenatal care to prevent malaria attacks.
He said they sampled health centres of Mugusu, Kijura, Kaswa, Ruteete, and Kicwamba and findings indicated the nets were not distributed to mothers which also may lead to high malaria cases.
Dr. Jimmy Opigo who heads the Malaria Control Division in the Ministry of Health said even with the rise in malaria cases in different places around the country, people are still reluctant to use their mosquito nets appropriately.
He said every three years, the government avails Ugandans with up to 30 million bed nets but people don’t use them as recommended.
“In some areas for instance in Namutumba, ten people are being lost every week due to malaria,” he said.
Overall, an estimated 5,000 people die annually in Uganda and 20mln others suffer from the disease each year.
According to Target Malaria, a research consortium working to reduce malaria transmission, Uganda has one of the highest global burdens of malaria cases, with over 90 percent of the population at risk.
Malaria remains Uganda’s leading cause of death, especially in children.
https://thecooperator.news/malaria-cases-soar-in-bukedi-as-residents-misuse-mosquito-nets/
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