Monday, September 21, 2009

NEWS:Uganda to start aerial spraying of tsetse flies

Uganda to start aerial spraying of tsetse flies

Monday, 21st September, 2009 from NEW VISION

UGANDA is to start aerial spraying to eradicate tsetse flies, which cause sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in cattle. Uganda is one of the 37 sub-Sahara African countries infested with tsetse flies. Two-thirds of the country is affected, putting about nine million people at risk of contracting sleeping sickness. About 700 new cases are reported annually. Also, 70% of Uganda’s national herd is at risk of contracting nagana. Agriculture minister Hope Mwesigye said aerial spraying would be carried out in the south-eastern and north-western regions, which are heavily-infested with three major tsetse fly species which cause an acute form of sleeping sickness, as well as another chronic form of the disease. “We have been having many interventions such as tsetse traps, but we are now looking at spraying, which is an area-wide approach. The tsetse flies keep coming from the game parks, so aerial spraying will eradicate sleeping sickness and nagana. The chemical does not affect humans,” Mwesigye said. She called for investment in research and the development of more effective drugs against sleeping sickness and nagana. “There is no vaccine against this disease and no new drugs are being developed. Currently, there is also a limited range of drugs. These drugs are highly toxic and increasingly becoming ineffective due to drug resistance.” Mwesigye was addressing the 30th international scientific council for trypanosomiasis research and control conference at Speke Resort, Munyonyo yesterday. The minister, however, did not disclose the amount of funds that will be involved in the programme or when it would start. She noted that the programme is in its initial stages and a technical team is jointly being put in place by the health and animal husbandry ministries. The districts infested with tsetse flies include Mukono, Kayunga, Jinja, Kamuli, Bugiri, Kaliro, Busia, Mayuge, Iganga, Pallisa, Soroti, Tororo, Dokolo, Lira, Kaberamaido, Kalangala and Namutumba. Others are Adjumani, Koboko, Arua, Moyo, Maracha-Terego, Yumbe and Amuru. President Yoweri Museveni, in a speech read by second deputy premier Eriya Kategaya, said Africa is lagging behind in development due to the high burden of preventable diseases. He said Uganda had developed a national programme to eliminate tsetse flies.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

NEWS: Cerebral Malaria- Shortage of drugs increases infections

Cerebral Malaria- Shortage of drugs increases infections

Sunday, 6th September, 2009 from NEW VISION


In the past six months, Uganda has seen an increase in cerebral malaria cases, which experts at the Malaria Consortium, an international organisation that controls the disease at all levels, are attributing to a shortage of malaria drugs throughout the country. The Consortium blames the shortage of drugs on poor planning and the stalling of the Global Fund disbursement that was effected early last year. However, when approached, the health ministry officials declined to comment. According to Daniel Kyabiirize, an epidemiologist at the Malaria Consortium, Uganda has over 300,000 cases of malaria a year, and 25% progress to cerebral malaria. Cerebral malaria is a complication of a type of malaria parasite called plasmodium falciparium. It is a more advanced and dangerous form of malaria. It causes neurological disorders and can also lead to death. This condition occurs when malaria goes untreated. Patients experience symptoms between 10 and 35 days after the mosquito bite. The parasites multiply in the body’s blood cells and block the blood’s pathway. This leads to a shortage of oxygen and nutrients in the brain, causing neurological disorders and death. Symptoms Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, drowsiness, unconsciousness, seizures, delirium and confusion. One in nine patients who survive cerebral malaria develops epilepsy. Although 50% of epilepsy cases have had no malaria, the disease is linked to cerebral malaria, especially among children. “Because of the brain involvement with cerebral malaria, patients sometimes get convulsions or seizures,” says David Basangwa, a psychologist at Butabika Hospital. In most cases, epileptic patients seek the help of traditional healers, believing that the disease has spiritual causes. Though medication that helps reduce seizures is prescribed in health centres, it has side effects like drowsiness which interferes with other medications. Dr. Richard Idro, a paediatrician at Mulago Hospital, says cerebral malaria causes serious neurological problems, such as cerebral palsy, learning problems, hyperactivity, as well as blindness and hearing problems. Who is at risk? Children, visitors from non-malaria endemic areas, women in their first pregnancies, and people who live in Kabale and the highlands are susceptible. During the first six months of a child’s life, a baby retains antibodies from its mother, who has some resistance to malaria. But these soon wear off. The child is unprotected and can easily develop malaria infections until they develop immunity. A major challenge that Uganda faces is the shortage of neurologists to handle the consequences of severe malaria. Most specialists are based in Mulago, and Mbarara hospitals or the Kampala-based Butabika hospital. “This has led to a current increase in mental illness and disease,” says Kyabirize. Curbing the condition Treatment aught to be within 24 hours of experiencing fever. The Ministry of Health recommends treated mosquito nets to prevent malaria infection. Spraying of chemicals in homes has also helped reduce the rates of malaria infection. Get rid of latent containers of water where mosquitoes might breed. Cases of the disease in Uganda 25% of cases are cerebral, a dangerous form of malaria Of the 300,000 malaria cases a year, 75,000 are cerebral Dangers of cerebral malaria Death:15-20% of children die Epilepsy Blindness, deafness Neurological disorders Learning problems