Uganda has today joined the rest of the world to commemorate World Hepatitis Day the under the theme ‘bringing hepatitis care closer to you.’

This is intended to focus on raising awareness about the need to make Hepatitis care more accessible, so that people can get better access to treatment and medical care in the primary health facilities and communities.

Civil society organizations have called upon stakeholders to intensify sensitization to create more awareness against the disease which leads to severe liver disease and liver cancer.

According to World Health Organization (WHO) Hepatitis affects people in different ways, whereas some may face fatigue, stomach pain or fever, others may not even know that they have Hepatitis. A section of people develop serious health ailments, which include liver failure or brain damage.

Dr Mumbere Sam, the in-charge of Bahamagara Medical Clinics operating in Kazo Town Council, Kazo District revealed that the disease goes mostly undetected due to an absence of symptoms until it is too late for treatment causing preventable loss of life as the tragic result.

Dr Mumbere urged people to vaccinate, avoid having unprotected sex with an infected person, continuous testing, and others ways to protect themselves from contracting viral infections which are the most common causes of hepatitis.

According to Dr Mumbere, Hepatitis B infection is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) which is passed from person to person through blood, semen or other body fluids and clarified that it does not spread by sneezing or coughing.

According to Ministry of Health, Common ways that Hepatitis B virus can spread are:

• Sexual contact. one may get hepatitis B if they have unprotected sex with someone who is infected and the virus can pass to someone if the person’s blood, saliva, semen or vaginal secretions enter their body.
• Sharing of needles. HBV easily spreads through needles and syringes contaminated with infected blood. Sharing IV drug paraphernalia puts one at high risk of hepatitis B.
• Mother to child. Pregnant women infected with HBV can pass the virus to their babies during childbirth.
• Accidental needle sticks. Hepatitis B is a concern for health care workers and anyone else who comes in contact with human blood.

Hepatitis B signs and symptoms may include:

• Abdominal pain
• Dark urine
• Fever
• Joint pain
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Weakness and fatigue
• Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)

Prevention

The hepatitis B vaccine is typically given as three or four injections over six months and one can’t get hepatitis B from the vaccine.

Dr Mumbere noted that vaccination is one proven effective way of preventing hepatitis, which is why it is recommended at the earliest age possible adding although there is no known cure at moment, hepatitis can be preventable with immunization and manageable. 

The hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for: newborns, children and adolescents not vaccinated at birth, people who live with someone who has hepatitis B,  health care workers, emergency workers, people who have multiple sexual partners and people who come into contact with blood of anyone who has a sexually transmitted infection, including HIV among others.

Dr. Diana Atwiine, the permanent secretary for ministry of health revealed that free Hepatitis screening is available at all HC IIIs up to National Referral Hospital while treatment is administered from HC IVs up to National Referral level.

Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa revealed that more than 90 million people are living with hepatitis in Africa, accounting for 26% of the global total.

“I appeal to people across Africa to seek testing and treatment for hepatitis. We need to take collective responsibility for eliminating this disease by 2030,”said Dr. Moeti in a statement.

WHO aims at achieving hepatitis elimination by 2030, and has called upon countries to achieve specific targets which includes;

• Reducing new infections of hepatitis B and C by 90%;

• Reducing hepatitis related deaths from liver cirrhosis and cancer by 65%;
• Ensuring that at least 90% of people with hepatitis B and C virus are diagnosed; and that at least 80% of those eligible receive appropriate treatment.

Hon Frank Tumwebaze, the Minister of Agriculture, Animal husbandry and Fisheries together with Hon. Bright Rwamirama, the State Minister of Agriculture, Animal husbandry and Fisheries and Hon. Francis Mwebesa, the Minister of Trade, Industry & Cooperatives presided over the official launch of Parish Development model (PDM) in Kazo district on Tuesday.

The training which was held at compassion hall in Kazo town council attracted leaders at local government level, politicians, religious leaders, security personnel, district technical staff, and representatives of special interest groups among others.

Speaking during the launch, Hon Frank Tumwebaze asked the people of Kazo district to embrace the PDM program adding that in all government programs, this program is the first of its kind giving a lot of money going down up to parish level.

He also revealed that the parish development model is not for rich people but for the people who do not have any income to earn something.  

In his remarks, Hon Dan Kimosho, the Member of Parliament Kazo constituency revealed that PDM is a good concept that needs application of mind set change and curbing out challenges like cattle thefts, foot and mouth disease and sensitization of people on how to use parish development model for it to succeed.

Speaking at the same function, Hon. Bright Rwamirama, called upon leaders to monitor the extension workers to ensure that they do their work noting that they are getting paid for it.

 Hon. Francis Mwebesa, emphasized the need for people to join cooperatives in order to reach more market and have one voice in demanding good price of the products.

The UGX 490 billion PDM project is a presidential initiative on wealth and job creation which was on 26^th February 2022 launched by the President of Uganda, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as another strategy for accelerating wealth creation, improving incomes and welfare of subsistence households.

The PDM program was rolled out in October 2020 as part of the National Development Plan III to support among others, market vendors, welders, taxi drivers, boda-boda riders, women and restaurant owners from over 10,594 parishes in the country to come together and form of SACCOS to enable local economic development.

Story by Byaruhanga Paddy

By Racheal Nuwahereza

Following a letter by Catherine Bitarakwate Musingwiire, the Public Service Permanent Secretary where the government issued a directive that striking teachers should return to their duty stations by June 24^th, or risk being scrapped off the payrolls, teachers under their umbrella body Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU), have declared that their resumption of duty depends on how fast the ministries of public service and Finance conclude the review process and whether the outcome of the said review process is satisfactory.

Innocent Ahimbisibwe, the UNATU Chairperson Kazo Branch called upon teachers in Kazo district to stay firm until they receive what they want. He reminded teachers that the purpose of the industrial action is to ensure there is fair salary enhancement across board.

“There has been no satisfactory feedback from the government and therefore the only option is to continue with industrial action. We cannot give up the struggle without any positive outcome. The intimidation is deliberate and meant to scare you. Stay firm and remain at home, industrial action continues. If we endure the strain, we shall get to where we want to go. Do not give up!” said Ahimbisibwe.

A class teacher at Rwabwonyo Primary School in Gabarungi Ward-Kazo Town Council, who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity, said that they are tired of this government for its imbalanced actions. 

“In 2019, teachers were promised to get what they are striking for and today in 2022 they recently made decision of discrimination in increment of salaries for teachers,” he said.

Adding that, they want to receive the positive response from the government but not the intimidations.

On Wednesday, Bitarakwate noted that the ongoing industrial strike by UNATU over what they referred to as discriminatory salary enhancements is illegal and in total breach the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement that was signed by government in 2018.

“The strike is illegal and in breach of the principles and spirit of the law and particularly sections7(2)(a) and (b); and 8(1) and (3) and the public service negotiating , consultative and Disputes Settlement Machinery Act, 2008 and the Recognition Agreement signed under this act because neither has UNATU given a notice to strike nor had the dispute Settlement Machinery been exhausted,” she said.

Adding that teachers’ demands cannot be addressed in the FY 2022/23.

“While government is committed to working with all parties towards achieving better salaries for all public servants, your demands for a salary enhancements cannot be addressed in the financial year 2022/23,” she said.

“By copy of this letter, the Chief Administrative Officers and Town Clerks are called upon to take stock of the teachers present and submit absent teachers by June 30,2023 foe eventual removal from payroll,” warned Birakwate. 

Story by Mwebaze Deus