Aluma....you have said it all.... May it not fall on deaf eyes... We had a discussion on HepB on KKnet sometime last year and I beleive someoe indicated that the are vaccination programs available in Arua but the prohibitive factors were ignorance (lack of awareness) and cost.
Dr Driwale, kindly update on the situation within your area of responsibility..... Would appreciate other input from the health care/public health professionals... Charles ++++++++++++++ West Nile Youth Initiative coordinator Yahaya Aluma asked all the MPs hailing from the region to present a bipartisan position to the parliament about the plight of the condition. “The Ministry of Health should come out with an expeditious plan to combat the disease which should include a mass immunization exercise throughout the region,” Mr Aluma said. +++++++++++++++ ARUA At least 78 cases of the deadly hepatitis B disease have been confirmed at Arua Prison. The most affected are the male inmates, the staff and their families. According to tests which were carried out last week at the main laboratory at Arua Regional Referral Hospital, of the 633 male inmates, 62 were found to be positive for Hepatitis B. While in the female section, of the 53 inmates tested, one was found to be positive. But no death has so far been registered as a result. And the virus has not spared prison staff members. Of the 103 prisons staff tested, 15 were found to be positive. When contacted for a comment, the Uganda Prisons spokesperson, Mr Frank Baine, declined to give details although he admitted that “the disease has been there.” An inmate who had completed his sentence, but declined to be named in order to speak freely, said there was need for sensitisation on health in the prisons. “It is true some of our friends were tested positive but the living conditions should be improved,” he said. Recently, a group of youth from West Nile Youth Initiative against Hepatitis B threatened to petition the Speaker of Parliament over the disease which they said was silently killing the youths. West Nile Youth Initiative coordinator Yahaya Aluma asked all the MPs hailing from the region to present a bipartisan position to the parliament about the plight of the condition. “The Ministry of Health should come out with an expeditious plan to combat the disease which should include a mass immunization exercise throughout the region,” Mr Aluma said. http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/60-Arua-prisoners-have-Hepatitis-B/-/688334/1742204/-/53fxqh/-/index.html _______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list WestNileNet@kym.net http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. _______________________________________________
