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Speaker Anita Annet Among has implored the Government to scale hazard monitoring following reports of rising water levels on Lake Victoria.

She echoed this while presiding over plenary on Friday, April 12, 2024. This was during the communication from the chair segment.

Recently, it should be noted that experts announced that water levels on the world’s second-largest freshwater body had risen to 14 meters, surpassing 13.32 meters which were recorded during the COVID-19 lockdown.

According to Among, this is likely to trigger flooding and other maritime disasters. 

“My attention has been drawn to the recent reports with the rise of water in Lake Victoria considering the big population that lives on the lakes. I want to urge all authorities to devise a way or to appropriate early warning and response system to prevent any disaster because most of our people stay around the lakes and rivers,” she noted.

Parliament during plenary. (Photo by Miriam Namutebi)

In light of this, Jane Avur Pachuto (Pakwach District Woman MP, NRM) says it is high time the government establishes blood banks in districts' neighbouring water bodies.

As a result of rising water levels, Pachuto says her home district is already registering an exponential number of bilharzia cases.

“We have a lot of young people, we are losing many people who are sick and vomiting blood every other day, we have to take them to Arua, Gulu and if this is not addressed, coupled with the issue of other diseases, we are going to lose young productive Ugandans,” she intimated.

VHTs

To make matters worse, Jessica Ababiku (Adjumani District Woman MP, NRM) says Village Health Teams (VHTs) are under-facilitated.

“I made a tour of my district, these people are doing tremendous work and I agree with you with the areas that we mentioned that we should budget for. But they are asking for cash appreciation like what we do for the Local Council (LC I) chairpersons,” Ababiku pointed out.  

Relatedly, New Vision Online understands that MPs on the health committee have recommended the provision of sh6 billion to the health ministry.

A copy of the report tabled by Dr Charles Ayume (Koboko municipality, NRM) indicates that these funds will go towards training Village Health Teams (VHTs) in the Community Health Programme and re-tooling of the VHTs for expansion of Integrated Childhood Case Management (ICCM) in 61 districts.