Health team to investigate Hepatitis cases in Serere

By Anne Mugisa and Dan Opolot

A Health team sent to Serere District to investigate a reported outbreak of Hepatitis disease has ruled out the deadly strain E of the virus.

According to the Ministry of Health, one person there was confirmed with a Hepatitis B virus infection and was being given treatment. 

The health team was dispatched to Pingire Sub-County in Serere following reports of death of one people dues to suspected Hepatitis E and two other people suspected to be infected.

The Ministry of Health spokesperson Rukia Nakamate said yesterday that the reported death of one person cannot be said to be due to Hepatitis.  She said that there were no tests carried out on the case and therefore one cannot conclude it was hepatitis. The deceased was identified as Okaye Steven

Nakamate said people should not panic because the health workers sent to the area will help them with treatment and information on control

The two who were suspected to have been infected are Julius Okuli a boda-boda rider and John Akol a farmer both residents of Okidi parish in Pingire Sub County.

But a doctor at the Serere Health Centre IV, Joseph Omoding, said the two were found with Hepatitis B virus.

“The results show that the two are infected with hepatitis B virus but we have accorded them the necessary treatment,”  Omoding said.

Medics say that, Hepatitis B is spread through contact with the body fluids of an infected person. It can also be sexually transmitted.

The patient presents with general ill-health, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, body aches, mild fever, dark urine, and afterwards jaundice.

The ministry of health recently revealed that more than 3 Million Ugandans are estimated to be infected with the Chronic Hepatitis B virus. This means that they carry the Hepatitis virus.

The infection in some people causes liver cancer in the long run which is fatal, while in others it may never causes problems. The Ministry of Health recently called on people to test for the virus to as to get early medical intervention to stop it from progressing to cancer.

According to the Minister of Health, Dr. Christine Ondoa the highest burden of the disease is in Northern Uganda with between 20 to 25% of the population affected.

Currently the Ministry of Health is carrying out vaccination of Health workers from the Hepatitis B virus.