Hope for Humans, an organization that has since 2012 been taking care of and rehabilitating children suffering from Nodding Syndrome in northern Uganda is set to close next month.
In a statement emailed to Acholi Times on Monday, Hope for Human’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Suzanne K. Gazda M.D wrote.
‘‘Our Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to dissolve Hope for Humans in August of 2017. As you can imagine, this decision was rooted in much consideration, preparation, and prayer’’.
The organization said the children it had been taking care of had improved and that most of them will be handed over to their government for care.
Uganda’s health services, especially in the rural parts of the country such as where the children suffering from Nodding Syndrome live are inadequately funded and without sufficient personnel.
Hope for Humans, however, paints a more optimistic picture of the fate of the children.
‘‘Many of our children are now living productive lives to where they have been mainstreamed back into a public school or job,’’ the organization said in the statement.
Hope for Humans says since 2012, it has treated over 300 children at is facility in Odek in Omoro district.
Nodding Syndrome is a neurological illness infects mostly children aged between 5-15 years. Its characteristics include epileptic seizures, saliva dripping from the mouth and retarded cognitive abilities, among others.
It has mainly been reported in the northern Uganda districts of Gulu, Kitgum, Pader and Lamwo. It is estimated that as many as 3,000 children were infected by the disease.
There is much debate about its origins and cause. Some scientist have said it’s caused by the Black Fly. Some in northern Uganda have linked to the outbreak of the disease in northern Uganda to chemicals used during two decades of conflict between the Ugandan government and the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) rebels. But so far, there has not been scientific evidence to back this up.
The outbreak of the disease was first reported in northern Uganda in 2009. In 2012, Kitgum woman Member of Parliament thrust the national spotlight on children suffering from the disease when she ferried 25 of them to Kampala for treatment
3 Comments
Well done Hope for Humans.You have really help these children and now they can continue with their medications and education where possible.
This Nodding Syndrome unfortunately ended up with no known specific causative factor. It seem a number of known and unknown factors played a role,but it is believed to be connected to infestations of the parasitic worm
Onchocerca volvulus, which is prevalent in all outbreak areas. The fortunate part is that there has been no reported incidence in the last three or more years.The ongoing research into the cause should continue. Such condition might re-occur in future. If specific cause is identify, prevention will be easy.Diagnosis and treatment is however not very advanced.It is only based on the telltale nodding seizures of the victims.
These victims of Nodding disease should be followed up for prognostics purposes.
Its the end of the road for these kids God above all you will all survive
It is never the end Pat, it is a new beginning with new opportunities and possibilities, think positive!! 👍🏾👍🏾