At least two children who were recovering from the nodding syndrome have died from the disease.
The two died from Labongo Akwang and Labongo Amida Sub-counties in Kitgum district.
Kitgum nodding syndrome focal person Dr Geoffrey Akena told Acholi Times recently that one of the children, a girl aged 16 drowned in a river two weeks ago.
Dr Akena said the second child, an 11 year old boy died last Wednesday from malnutrition.
According to Akena, atleast 80 percent of children suffering from nodding syndrome do lack nutrients.
“Over times we have been advising parents to monitor their children who are still recovering from the disease but they haven’t been taking it into consideration. The district has been having challenges with direct supervision because of resources,” Dr Akena said.
He also advised parents to watch out for their children against wild fires especially during the dry season that is characterized by locals’ burning bushes.
According to Dr Akena, Labongo Akwang and Labongo Amida Sub-counties have a total of 280 children recovering from nodding syndrome, a number he says is challenging for the district to monitor.
Nodding syndrome treatment center launched
Dr Akena revealed that, owing to the challenges in monitoring and administering treatment to the children, the government on Wednesday last week launched a Shs 234 million Health Center II that will directly help in emergency situations.
“The health center launched much as it will benefit the community for various treatments, the children recovering from Nodding syndrome will greatly benefit out of it in terms of getting timely medication and monitoring by the health workers,” Dr Akena said.
Nodding syndrome or nodding disease is a neurological illness, which affects mainly children aged 5-15 year-olds.
It’s symptoms includes involuntary uncontrollable nodding of the head, epileptic seizures, saliva dripping, degenerated cognitive abilities, stunted growth, and in some cases, death or failure to develop secondary sexual characteristics.
The disease that was first detected in 2009, in the districts of Lamwo, Kitgum, Pader and parts of Gulu, has claimed the lives of over 500 children while 3,000 were infected.
Late last year, Uganda’s government through the Ministry of Health launched a report in Pader district indicating the strange disease is caused by black flies, the flies that cause River blindness.
In October last year, four children out of the 226 recovering from nodding syndrome died in Gulu district due to lack of drugs.
