The Minister for Information and National Guidance, Mrs Mary Karoro Okurut, has said that the government is capable of handling the nodding syndrome that is currently ravaging Acholi sub region. 

During her visit to Atanga Nodding Disease Treatment Center last Friday, Ms Okurut said that the victims have started responding to sodium valporate drugs, so there is no need to declare the region a disaster zone when the government’s initiative in handling the disease is already yielding fruits.

“There is hope for the children that they will get back to their feet.  The government has not folded its hands on the matter, food supplies, medicines and improvement of patients is already seen in the children and research is already on going to find the root cause,” she said. 

Okurut said that the government is able to handle the situation with the help of organizations like the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other ministries in the country who are already on the ground. 

The Incharge of Atanga Health Centre, Mr. David Nokorach, told Okurut that the majority of the children who have the syndrome are malnourished and many have burns as a result of falling into fires and having convulsions. 

“The outreaches that were in place have helped those who cannot trek for kilometres to reach Atanga health centre.  In the first two weeks, when the centre had just been opened, 100 children would report to the centre on a daily basis,” he said. 

Currently there is a debate in Parliament as a section of legislators from Acholi sub region urge the government to declare the region a disaster zone.  The Woman MP for Kitgum district, Hon Beatrice Anywar, and Kilak County MP say that the government’s response to the epidemic is abysmal and has been nothing short of negligence. 

WHO put the number of affected children at 7,000 while the government says that is no more than 3,000 in the entire Acholi sub region?