A shortage of drugs used for the treatment of the nodding disease has left more than 300 patients stranded in Kitgum.
Nodding disease causes seizures, and affected children become physically and mentally stunted, leading to blindness and sometimes deaths.
Medical research shows that the nodding disease is a neurological effect of the parasitic worm that causes river blindness.
Patients suffering from nodding disease are given drugs to relax the muscles and control the nodding.
But now the vital drugs have run out of stock in Kitgum.
Lucy Auma, the officer in charge of Pajimo Health Centre II, says essential drugs like carbamazepine (Kar-bama-ze-pine) used in the treatment of the disease has run out. The health center has had no stocks for the last one month.
She attributes the persistent shortage of drugs at the health Unit to low supplies from Medical Stores. Equally affected by the drug shortages are patients suffering from HIV and AIDS.
Walter Abonga, who is living with the AIDS, says drugs like septrine given to HIV patients for strength are not available.
Abonga says many of his colleagues are getting weaker and weaker because the Health Center has no drugs to offer them.
But Auma says the Health Center hopes to receive drugs in May.
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