Lamwo district leaders have expressed concern over possible spread communicable diseases due to an influx of South Sudanese in the district.
According to the leaders, the refugees are not being screened for any diseases.
Immigration officials in Lamwo say over 2,000 South Sudan refugees have into the district since July 7. The refugees enter Uganda through Aweno Oli, Madi Opei, Waligo and Ngom Oromo border points. These areas border Magwi County in Imatong state in South Sudan.
Lamwo Resident District Commissioner Mr Jonathan Rutabingwa told Acholi Times in an interview on Friday that there is need to establish a reception center in Lamwo to vaccinate and screen the refugees for communicable diseases.
Mr Rutabingwa said a lot of attention has been put on major entry points for South Sudanese refugees like the Elegu border in Amuru district while less attention has been put on other entry points like Madi-opei which is also registering a high influx of refugees in war torn South Sudan.
The RDC said on average, between 50-100 South Sudan refugees enter Uganda throught Madi Opei. He explained that out of the over 2,000 refugees who were registered at Madi-opei border point, only 750 were taken to refugee resettlement centers in Adjumani district by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), with the rest settling in villages in Lamwo.
“We find it precarious at the moment for our populace to mingle with these refugees who were not subjected to medical tests. We are calling for urgent intervention of OPM and Health Ministry to intervene in this matter,” Mr Rutabingwa said.
Lamwo District LCV Chairperson, Mr Komakech John Ogwok when contacted reiterated Mr Rutabingwa’s statements saying that there is need for urgent establishment of a reception center for refugees in the district.
“We have already made assessment with the district disaster committee that has proposed two sub counties of Palabek kal and Padibe were the reception centers can be established. This will greatly help accommodate the fleeing refuges who will also be subjected to medical tests,” Mr Ogwok said.
He added that there is also concern on the spread of animal diseases given that the refugees are entering the country with many livestock that have not been vaccinated.
Efforts to contact the Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness and refugees Mr Musa Ecweru were futile as his known telephone contact was unavailable by press time.
According to statistics from UNHCR, a total of 55,920 refugees have crossed into Uganda since the outbreak of conflict in South Sudan in July 7 and have been taken to resettlement camps in Adjumani district.
