Tests confirm cholera outbreak in Amuru

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Health authorities have confirmed an outbreak of cholera in Elegu Town Council, in Amuru district, after 14 suspected samples tested at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital Laboratory turned positive. The samples were referred last week after 14 people, including a four-year-old child, presented with acute symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea in the bustling border town, which lies at the Uganda-South Sudan border.

Milton Okello, the Amuru District Surveillance Focal Point person, told Uganda Radio Network in an interview that the laboratory test result was released over the weekend and confirmed the presence of the highly contagious waterborne disease. He noted that 13 more people have been isolated at Bibia Health Center III with symptoms of cholera, adding that a preliminary test conducted using the Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) turned positive for suspected cholera.

Cumulatively, Okello said a total of 27 people are in isolation in different health facilities, with the majority receiving treatment from Bibia Health Center III. According to Okello, by Saturday, a total of 84 contacts had been traced and warned that cases of the disease could steadily rise if all standard operating procedures are not properly followed by the community in Elegu town council.

Geoffrey Osborn Oceng, the Amuru Resident District Commissioner, told Uganda Radio Network Monday that the district was in touch with the Ministry of Health on the emerging cholera situation. He said the district has established a task force that is already handling the situation, arguing that they are hopeful the cases will be controlled. Oceng, who is chairing the cholera task force, noted that medical supplies needed for the treatment of cholera patients were still in stock in the district, and particularly at Bibia Health Center III, where some of the patients have been isolated for treatment.

According to area local leaders, the slow response of health officials, coupled with the lack of a stationary ambulance from the district, could likely jeopardize the quick referrals of people suspected of contracting the disease. Kassim Akule, the LCI Chairperson of Lorikwor West village in Elegu Town Council, says families are making desperate attempts to hire public vehicles to transport their relatives suspected of having cholera for treatment in health facilities.

Akule, whose four family members presented with severe symptoms of cholera early this morning, said he tried calling for ambulance services from the Amuru district health department but was told to wait despite the dire conditions of the patients. He noted that he made a painful decision to hire a private car to transport the ailing family members to Bibia Health Center III.

Since the outbreak of cholera reported on Thursday last week in Elegu Town Council, Akule says, between five to six people are evacuated for medical treatment daily, and he warned that the situation could get out of hand if the emergency response team is not added. “The situation is not good at Elegu because almost in the last four days, about five people have shown symptoms of cholera, but we have no ambulance. The people are now afraid in the trading center, even the health officials in health facilities,” Akule told Uganda Radio Network in an interview.

The majority of the suspected cases are currently being responded to by health officials from the Elegu Port Health, whose personnel are far fewer. Efforts to get a response from the District Health Officer, Dr. Alfred Okello, were futile by press time, as he didn’t pick up repeated phone calls to his known mobile number.

The latest outbreak comes just less than three months after Lamwo district declared an end to the cholera outbreak in the district that left one dead and 106 positive cases registered in Agoro sub-county.

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