Mpox fight: Public urged to seek early treatment as four die in Hoima

HOIMA - Local communities in Hoima district have been urged to always seek early treatment to ensure the fight against mpox is won.  

While addressing over 30 media personnel during their awareness meeting organised by the Red Cross Society in partnership with Hoima City Council at Hoima Red Cross Society offices on Thursday, June 5, 2025,  Fredrick Byenume, the Hoima district health inspector and emergency rapid response team member, said Hoima district has registered 12 confirmed cases of Mpox and four people have lost their lives.

He blamed the death of the victims, whom he did not identify, on the delay in seeking medication, adding that by the time they went to the health facilities, their situation had deteriorated.

He noted that the disease has been common in town, but unfortunately, it is increasingly spreading in rural areas.

He cited Buraru sub-county, Bulindi town council, Buseruka and Bombo sub-counties along the shore of Lake Albert as some of the areas where Mpox cases were reported.

“Mpox is treatable so long as you seek health services as early as possible. What caused some deaths we have had in the district is the delay of the infected persons in seeking health services early enough. So, at times, they come already infected, and when they are at severe stage, where they have sore throat, and they cannot eat, and they end up dying.” 

However, he blamed the spread of disease in rural areas on movement of people from urban areas to villages, sexual immorality and eating wild animals, among others.

He added that the district has trained village health teams to be able to detect the infected person and report them to health Authorities on time.

Vaccination in Hoima city

Hoima city disease surveillance officer Wilfred Ndozereho said the city has vaccinated over 7,000 commercial sexual workers and their customers.|

He noted that the city received 8,000 doses of mpox vaccines, adding that between Much to April, they vaccinated 7,988 sexual workers and their customers from black sports such as bars, clubs and brothels.

He added that cumulatively, Hoima city registered 91 cases, two deaths and 173 cases since the Mpox was reported in Hoima city last year.

He added that local bars and clubs in the city centre and other outskirts of town where commercial workers operate are major black spots and that the affected age group is 15-17 to 45 years.

He noted that vaccination has helped to reduce monkeypox cases, adding that before the vaccination, Hoima city was ranked third after Kampala and Wakiso, but because of the intervention, Hoima city was in seventh position.

Red Cross manager Steven Wamukota said they have so far trained religious leaders and that with support from United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund and the International Federation of Red Cross, Uganda  Red Cross Society- Hoima Branch and in partnership with Hoima city, they are implementing a three-month project to prevent mpox. 

He noted that under this project, they have trained village health teams, volunteers, herbalists, religious leaders, media practitioners and equipped them with knowledge and information about the Mpox epidemic to ensure they sensitise the community about the disease to private from it.

Rosemary Musimenta, the Hoima district health educator and HIV focal person challenged the trained individuals to use their platforms to sensitise the community to be able to protect themselves from getting infected.