Two people are confirmed dead and fifty two others hospitalised following a cholera outbreak in Mbale district.
The victims who are hospitalized in Busiu Health Center are mainly from the slums of Mbale town where an outbreak was reported a fortnight ago.
Dr. John Waniaye, the Mbale District Director of Health Services, says 35 of the victims were treated and discharged while fifteen are still undergoing treatment.
Dr. Waniaye says two victims passed away from Mbale Regional hospital.
The doctor identifies the worst hit areas as Namakwekwe, Namatala, Namanyonyi and Nakaloke. He appeals to the municipal authorities to ban cold foods from being sold on the streets.
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Dr. Waniaye blames the outbreak on limited water supply in Mbale town which forced residents to fetch water from surrounding rivers and streams. He says water from the streams is contaminated with human waste. He notes that the problem has been compounded by the poor sanitation which Mbale town currently experiences because of uncollected garbage.
A treatment center has been setup at Busiu Sub-county but Dr. Waniaye says there are no doctors to man the unit. He also says the nurses who are attending to the patients are complaining because of lack of allowances.
The Municipal council health officials are currently moving around the town to sensitize the community on proper sanitation.
According to the World Health Organization, there are an estimated 3–5 million cholera cases and 10, 000–120,000 deaths due to cholera every year. Eighty percent of the cases can be successfully treated with oral rehydration salts.
Effective control measures rely on prevention, preparedness and response. Provision of safe water and sanitation is critical in reducing the impact of cholera and other waterborne diseases.
Oral cholera vaccines are considered an additional means to control cholera, but should not replace conventional control measures.
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