Bugiri
A three-month-old baby has died from suspected jiggers infestation in Mufumi village in Nankoma Sub- county, Bugiri District. Nine others, including six members from the babys family are admitted to different health centres in the district, also with jigger infestations.
The baby, Miriam Okoth, had been admitted to Bulidha Health Centre III for two weeks until Friday when she passed away. The other patients, some of whom are admitted to Nabijingo Health Centre III, are elderly persons. The affected people were identified as Augustine Okoth 65, Justine Okoth 35, Wumaru Murwasira, 10, Moses Mpande, 60, James Mugoya, 7 son of John Mugoya, 53, David Mangeni, 13 and Joseph Efumbi, 11.
A councillor from the affected Nabijingo Parish, Nasitanzio Akisa told Daily Monitor on Saturday that she had raised the matter with the district health officials and they had promised to start communal spraying of homes and institutions in the sub- county. According to the district community development officer, Mr Stephen Magero, the infestations were prevalent in Iwemba, Buwunga, and Bulidha sub-counties.
Hygiene blamed
Mr Magero said the district authorities have addressed the matter with the Ministry of Health but they have not sent any drugs to the district. According to Dr Henry Bukenya, a general practitioner with Mulago Hospital, jiggers, which are classified under parasites, are mainly caused by poor hygiene. He explains that the reason as to why a number of people have passed on because of these parasites is because, When they get into a persons body, they feed on the blood and water, making the person anaemic and dehydrated and if they are not given proper and immediate treatment, that person can easily die.
The doctor said jiggers cause wounds on whichever body part infect, which wounds start rotting, leading to an infection which can also lead to death. In July, a former engineer Asadi Ndimwibo of Kirongo village died from jiggers infection.
A three-month-old baby has died from suspected jiggers infestation in Mufumi village in Nankoma Sub- county, Bugiri District. Nine others, including six members from the babys family are admitted to different health centres in the district, also with jigger infestations.
The baby, Miriam Okoth, had been admitted to Bulidha Health Centre III for two weeks until Friday when she passed away. The other patients, some of whom are admitted to Nabijingo Health Centre III, are elderly persons. The affected people were identified as Augustine Okoth 65, Justine Okoth 35, Wumaru Murwasira, 10, Moses Mpande, 60, James Mugoya, 7 son of John Mugoya, 53, David Mangeni, 13 and Joseph Efumbi, 11.
A councillor from the affected Nabijingo Parish, Nasitanzio Akisa told Daily Monitor on Saturday that she had raised the matter with the district health officials and they had promised to start communal spraying of homes and institutions in the sub- county. According to the district community development officer, Mr Stephen Magero, the infestations were prevalent in Iwemba, Buwunga, and Bulidha sub-counties.
Hygiene blamed
Mr Magero said the district authorities have addressed the matter with the Ministry of Health but they have not sent any drugs to the district. According to Dr Henry Bukenya, a general practitioner with Mulago Hospital, jiggers, which are classified under parasites, are mainly caused by poor hygiene. He explains that the reason as to why a number of people have passed on because of these parasites is because, When they get into a persons body, they feed on the blood and water, making the person anaemic and dehydrated and if they are not given proper and immediate treatment, that person can easily die.
The doctor said jiggers cause wounds on whichever body part infect, which wounds start rotting, leading to an infection which can also lead to death. In July, a former engineer Asadi Ndimwibo of Kirongo village died from jiggers infection.
