Aerial spraying for nodding disease control

By Gladys Kalibbala

Following President Museveni’s launch that took place in Pader district on May 26, 2012 concerning the control of black flies in Kitgum, Pader and Lamwo districts, new plans have already been set.

The task to clear the flies which transmit river blindness is spearheaded by a technical team comprising of members from the health and agriculture ministries plus district officials of the affected areas.

The head of the National Onchocerciasis Control Program, Tom Lakwo explains that the great alliance of nodding disease and river blindness has led his team to focus on fighting the flies that transmit the latter.

“Although the cause of nodding disease has not yet been established, the mapping so far done shows that the most affected areas with river blindness are again those highly affected with the nodding disease,” he explained.

 In a meeting of technocrats that sat at Kitgum Royal Hotel last week, it was decided that aerial spraying be used to yield better results.

The meeting set the months of June and July to be used in mapping, and aerial spraying to take place in August and October this year, the latter period noted to be a peak season for the black flies.

“Fix –wing planes from Dessert Locust Control Organization will be used while an insecticide called ‘Temephos (Abate EC500) will be used in spraying,” Lakwo who heads the Ministry of Health team explained.

It was explained that the insecticide has been used in the control of black flies for over 20 years and it helped in the Guinea Worm Eradication Campaign.

“The aircraft will spray at specific designated points across rivers and the insecticide will eventually mix with the speedy water and kill the young stages of these black flies,” Lakwo said.