Legislators from Acholi sub region which continues to be devastated by the nodding diseases have are demanding for a progress report from the Ministry of Health. 

This was revealed during the launch of the Family Health days in Gulu Arch Diocese by the area Member of Parliament for Kilak County in Amuru district, Mr Gilbert Olanya who said that, the government seems to be harbouring a hidden agenda, due to its laxity of response and in publishing its preliminary findings on the disease.

“There is some section of people who have their hidden agenda on the issue of nodding diseases.  For how long will it take for us to have the report?”  He asked, adding that: “communication is not clear and when communication flow fails, of course doubt emerges in people’s minds.”

He warned that if the syndrome was not handled with care, the next generation of Acholi might not be there, and as MPs in this region; they have demanded for the report but there is no response apart from the verbal official response that “samples were taken to the centre on diseases control for test,” but how long is that going to take? Olanya asked.

The Woman Member of Parliament for Gulu district Hon Betty Aol Ocan,, added that the Ministry of Health should immediately avail the report  to enable outside agencies like WHO and UN can come to the rescue of the region.

“At the moment, partners in health cannot also do much, as they are still waiting for the report from the Ministry of Health so that they can do their best in terms of giving treatment,” she said. 

Most parents have completely stopped their children from going to school for fear that their children might contract the disease while others have also shunned the treatment canters arguing that they are ill equipped and lack basic facilities.

The WHO estimates that over 7,000 may now be affected by the Nodding syndrome but the Ministry of health refutes that figure and says that the number could only be about 3,000.

According to available statistics from the village health teams, the figure stands at over 9,000.