Famillies of 300 nodding children receive support

By Francis Emorut  
                       

Over 300 nodding disease children in northern Uganda have received humanitarian aid to alleviate their plight. Parents of the affected children received the items from health centres where their children have been admitted and at their homes.

 

A caravan of humanitarian aid spearheaded by Uganda Women’s Network distributed items in the districts of Gulu, Pader, Lamwo and Kitgum for the suffering families.

 

The items were purchased by women rights activists in support of the affected children with nodding syndrome and their families. “We were prompted to raise funds for victims of nodding disease since they were mainly children and their mothers taking care of them needed support,” Betty Kugonza, the support officer of human rights unit of Action Aid Uganda said.

 

The items worth sh20m included beans, sugar, posho, soya, clothes and soap. Dr. Francis Okumu a senior medical superintendent of Padibe Health Centre IV said the affected children needed nutrition supplements and the humanitarian aid came in time.

 

Okumu said families affected by the nodding syndrome can’t afford nutrition supplements because they are expensive and the parents don’t have any source of income.

 

Lillian Jane Adee the in charge of Palbek Kal Health Centre III pointed out that the affected children were in dire need of food supplements because government’s ratio doesn’t come in time.

 

“The affected families are each given four Kilograms of posho and beans to last two weeks and this is not adequate,” Adee said. Rose Ober a mother to four-year-old affected child thanked women rights activists for the support.

 

“My child needs soya porridge but I couldn’t afford it, but the support brought by women rights activists has come in the right.” Ober said. Mathew Ochen Akiya the LC5 chairman of Lamwo district appealed to other agencies to come to the aid of the affected families.

 

“We are overwhelmed by the epidemic outbreak and scientists should come up with the solution especially its treatment. I call upon all stakeholders to join hands together with Government to curb the disease,” Akiya said.