Uganda: Cholera Kills 29 in Hoima, over 900 Hospitalised

Cholera has killed 29 people in Hoima District, medical officers have confirmed. The cholera outbreak was last week confirmed to have hit Congolese refugees in Kyangwali settlement camp who fled from fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). “We have registered 962 (Cholera) cases out of which 29 people have died,” said Dr Joseph Ruyonga, the Hoima district health officer on Tuesday. The cholera outbreak which was confirmed by the Ministry of health has spread from Kyangwali refugee camp to various villages in Hoima District. Sebagoro, Kyehoro, Kaiso, Nkondo in Kabwooya Sub County are among the affected areas. Dr Nicholas Kwikiriza, a member of the district Cholera task force said they have confirmed two cholera cases in Busiisi division and one case in Kyarwabuyamba cell in Bujumbura division in Hoima municipality,. He said the district health office is conducting active surveillance of suspected cases and testing all refugees who are entering Uganda. “We are promoting efforts by people to access sanitation, water and hygiene but there are some communities that have low latrine coverage,” Dr Kwikiriza said. He said the district with the help of development partners is distributing aqua safe tablets which are being used to treat water before consumption in homes. During a district disaster response meeting on Tuesday which was chaired by the Hoima RDC, Mr John Stephen Ekoom, the Hoima District secretary of education and health, Mr Mugenyi Mulindambura asked the central government to use a multi sectoral approach in mitigating the cholera outbreak. He said Uganda’s boarder with DRC is porous which is exploited by people to enter Uganda and settle in local communities without being screened and registered. “People are coming to our landing sites without being checked. Some have settled on the Lake Albert shoreline where open defecation is common,” Mulindambura said. He asked immigration officers to closely work with security officers in screening all refugees and immigrants and ensure that they have sanitary facilities where they settle.