The Uganda People's Defense Forces-UPDF medical brigade has confirmed it tested and vaccinated 30,000 people in Lango sub region against Hepatitis B in the last ten days.
The brigade extended free medical services on people in the region as part of the Tarehe Sita activities on the directive of President, Yoweri Museveni.
During the national celebrations held at Apac Boma Grounds on February 6th 2017, local leaders from Lango region commended the army for its civil -military activities that preceded the events and asked president Museveni to allow the medical brigade to extend the free Medicare services for at least two more weeks. Museveni accepted the request directed the medical team to collaborate with the Health Ministry and continue serving residents for two more weeks.
As a result, the UPDF medical brigade deployed staff from February 23rd up to March 4th to at least 71 health facilities in Lira, Dokolo, Oyam, Kole, Apac, Otuke, Amolatar and Alebtong districts. This morning, Ambrose Oiko, the overall Coordinator for the Tarehe Sita Program in Lango, said 28, 441 people were tested for Hepatitis B virus. Of these 2, 139 tested positive and were enrolled on treatment immediately.
5, 388 people were tested in Lira district alone. 405 were found positive. In Oyam 377 of the 5, 690 people tested were positive. In Kole, 2, 107 were tested and 176 were found positive meanwhile in Amolatar district, 3, 038 were tested and 316 were found positive. In Dokolo 1, 473 people were tested and 88 were found positive, In Apac, 3, 273 were tested and 316 were found positive while in Otuke a total of 3, 979 were tested and 225 were found positive.
Overall, the report indicates that in the ten days, a total of 30, 560 people were vaccinated. 26, 480 received their first dose of vaccine, 105, 757 received the 2nd dose and 1, 046 last dose of vaccine as required by the Health Ministry.
According to the World Health Organisation - WHO, worldwide 2 billion people are exposed to hepatitis B infection; 350 million have chronic infection while 65 million are found in sub-Saharan Africa.
Uganda is highly endemic with 10% national prevalence of hepatitis B infection. The rates vary across the country from 4% in southwest and 25% in the Northeast.
Dr. Richard Nam, a Senior Gynecologist associates the high prevalence in Northeast to cultural practices like tattooing and a reckless lifestyle in the former Internally Displaced People's Camps among others.
Hepatitis B is a virus that affects the liver and is spread through among other things contact with blood and body fluid of an infected person, mother to child transmission, sexual contact with an infected person and sharing sharp objects. Dr. Name describes what can happen in case Hepatitis B patient is not attended to immediately on notice.
Government as rolled out mass Hepatitis B vaccination to 25 districts. They include among others Adjumani, Maracha, Moyo, Koboko, Nebbi, Yumbe, Zombo, Arua, Gulu, Amuru, Nwoya and Kitgum districts. Others are Pader, Lamwo, Agago, Lira, Oyam, Otuke, Kole, Alebtong, Amolatar, Apac and Dokolo in West Nile and Northern Uganda respectively.
The programme will also cover the districts of Serere, Soroti, Kumi, Moroto, Amuria, Bukedea, Ngora, Moroto, Abim, Kotido, Katakwi, Kaabong, Nakapiripirit, Napak, Amudat, and Tororo in Eastern Uganda.
They are among the 39 high burdened districts identified by government in 2013 and prioritised in the first phase of the mass Hepatitis B vaccination drive. Control of hepatitis B is done through immunization.
Where this has been done the prevalence of infection and chronic liver diseases have significantly reduced. The Uganda National Expanded Program on Immunizations (UNEPI) successfully helped scale-up childhood immunization including hepatitis B, which was included on the program in 2002.
