Health
Health Minister dismisses new malaria strain reports
Baryomunsi said genomic surveillance conducted by the National Malaria Control Division and its research partners found no evidence that a new strain of malaria was responsible for the reported deaths of some teenagers.
Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi. (File)
By: Dedan Kimathi, Journalist @New Vision
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The Ministry of Health has ruled out the existence of a new malaria variant in Uganda, saying scientific surveillance shows the country's malaria parasite has not changed.
On Wednesday, July 15, Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi said genomic surveillance conducted by the National Malaria Control Division and its research partners found no evidence that a new strain of malaria was responsible for the reported deaths of some teenagers.
The Kinkiizi Member of Parliament (MP) was responding to a matter of national importance that had earlier on been raised by Kigulu South lawmaker Andrew Kiiza Kaluuya (NUP).
Baryomunsi explained, “Plasmodium falciparum remains, as it has for decades, the dominant species in Uganda, accounting for approximately 97% of infections, and it is well established as the species responsible for the most severe forms of the disease.
On the basis of current genomic and clinical surveillance data, the Ministry's technical position is that there is no evidence of a new malaria strain driving these deaths,” he cited.
Furthermore, Baryomunsi pointed out the aforementioned deaths happened in the Kampala Metropolitan Area, which historically is regarded as a low transmission area, and the answer lies in the immunological profile of the affected population."
Listing a number of interventions in the fight against malaria, the minister stated that according to a well-documented epidemiological paradox: children growing up in lower-transmission areas are exposed to malaria parasites less frequently in early childhood, and therefore do not build up the same level of acquired immunity as children in high-transmission rural areas,” he added.
Implying that a school-age child in a low-transmission area who contracts malaria has little or no background immunity to slow the progression of the disease. Where, on the other hand, a child with high acquired immunity might experience a mild, self-limiting illness.
On the basis of current genomic and clinical surveillance data, the Ministry's technical position is that there is no evidence of a new malaria strain driving these deaths,” he cited.
Furthermore, Baryomunsi pointed out the aforementioned deaths happened in the Kampala Metropolitan Area, which historically is regarded as a low transmission area, and the answer lies in the immunological profile of the affected population."
Listing a number of interventions in the fight against malaria, the minister stated that according to a well-documented epidemiological paradox: children growing up in lower-transmission areas are exposed to malaria parasites less frequently in early childhood, and therefore do not build up the same level of acquired immunity as children in high-transmission rural areas,” he added.
Implying that a school-age child in a low-transmission area who contracts malaria has little or no background immunity to slow the progression of the disease. Where, on the other hand, a child with high acquired immunity might experience a mild, self-limiting illness.
Self-medication
Relatedly, Army legislator Lt Gen. Sam Kavuma encouraged Ugandans to have periodic medical checkups.
“We leave on self-medication. You get a headache, and you go to the nearest pharmacy. The pharmacist prescribes some drugs, and you go home. When the pain reduces, you don’t even finish that drug. That’s why you see every two kilometres, there is a new pharmacy. Because pharmacies make a lot of money out of us or drug shops,” Kavuma observed.
“For us who are here, if you reflect on what is in your bedroom, you find all of us having mini-pharmacies in our bedrooms and houses because of self-medication,” he alluded.
Adding that the other problem is that even those who attempt to go for regular checkup at times are misdiagnosed.
Relatedly, Army legislator Lt Gen. Sam Kavuma encouraged Ugandans to have periodic medical checkups.
“We leave on self-medication. You get a headache, and you go to the nearest pharmacy. The pharmacist prescribes some drugs, and you go home. When the pain reduces, you don’t even finish that drug. That’s why you see every two kilometres, there is a new pharmacy. Because pharmacies make a lot of money out of us or drug shops,” Kavuma observed.
“For us who are here, if you reflect on what is in your bedroom, you find all of us having mini-pharmacies in our bedrooms and houses because of self-medication,” he alluded.
Adding that the other problem is that even those who attempt to go for regular checkup at times are misdiagnosed.