Black fever: The silent killer of vulnerable Ugandans

Nangiro says the case fatality stands at 5% of all cases reported, adding that the overall burden of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) like Kala-azar, river blindness and trachoma, remains high with approximately 87% of the population in hard-to-reach areas at risk of contracting at least one.

When Kala-azar strikes, families lose weeks of income while attending to the sick, and children drop out of school. The situation is worsened by malnutrition among young patients.