A cholera outbreak has been reported in Katebwa, one of the sub-counties that was hit by mudslides in Kabarole district.
20 suspected cases of cholera have so far been recorded at Mitandi Parish in Mabwe trading centre. The center is home to about 300 displaced people.
Steven Makondwe, the LC2 Chairman Mitandi, says his office has received several people complaining about severe headache and diarrhea.
Makondwe says the authorities in Mabwe trading center have ordered all dealers in cooked food to close shop.
The district health department has set up an isolation center at Mabwe play ground to provide treatment and stop further spread of the disease.
George Manume, a resident of Mitandi parish, attributes the cholera outbreak to lack of drinking water. People have resorted to drink dirty water from the streams, because the two gravity water schemes were swept away by the landslides. //Cue in: "the situation in Katebwa..."Cue out: "...village health teams."//
Manume says that the village health teams are distributing drugs to the sick people. At Mutumba Protestant Church, more than 100 people were found camped in the compound but with no adequate facilities. Some people are sharing mattresses and many others were visibly dehydrated.
A terrible stench fills the air as flies hover around the church compound. Grace Bukirwa, one of the displaced people, says she has no access to clean water and has resorted to consuming water from the dirty stream. Simon Magezi, the LC1 chairperson Mitumba village, says the displaced people do not want to return to their homes for fear of falling prey to more landlsildes.
Juma Nyende, the Chairperson of the Kabarole district disaster committee says that the displaced families can not be relocated because there is no alternative area in the district. Joseph Mashuko, the Chairman Uganda Red Cross Fort Portal branch, says they are planning to set up mobile toilets at Mitumba Church and Mabwe trading centre.
