Steven Masiga, Mbale City – Polio, a highly contagious disease, is reported to have broken out in Mbale. In a high-level stakeholders’ engagement held at the Mbale City chambers, the Mbale City Health Officer, Dr. Moses Mugonya, brought to the attention of stakeholders, including representatives from Inzu Yamasaba, the World Health Organization, Spotlight Africa, city officials, and the Ministry of Health, the severity of the situation. He stated that so far, over three people are reported to be affected by the polio virus.
The polio outbreak is being attributed to low population immunity against the disease, which has led to the current situation. A representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) said Uganda has a long history of polio, noting that by the late 1980s, Uganda was at the peak of polio cases. However, through government interventions, the virus had been eradicated. The representative expressed concern over the re-emergence of the virus.
The polio outbreak in Mbale City is said to have originated from Garissa, Kenya. It is believed to have spread to Mbale City through business contacts, as Mbale is a transit route, and some Kenyans may have come to the city on business. The strain of polio found in Mbale is similar to the one in Somalia. Fecal matter from Namatala, particularly the Doko sewerage plant, tested positive for the polio virus after laboratory tests in Entebbe. This indicates that Kenyans from Garissa, who may be truck drivers or other categories of businesspeople, likely introduced the virus to Mbale. Since the polio virus cannot be killed by the body’s immune system once ingested, it is excreted in fecal form, leading to the current outbreak.
As a preventive measure, residents of Mbale City have been warned not to plant any crops near the sewerage plants, as these areas are now contaminated with the polio virus, which travels through fecal matter. In the interim, residents of Mbale City are urged to take their children to the nearest health facility for polio immunization.
The Inzu Yamasaba, through their spokesperson, has pledged to disseminate the polio awareness message to the clans in Masabaland and encourage mass immunization of all Bamasaba and other persons within Masabaland.
Polio is a very deadly disease and can be fatal if it affects the chest. Generally, the disease causes thinning of limbs, making a person unable to move. If not addressed quickly, many people could become severely incapacitated due to polio, Dr. Mugonya emphasized.
The Ministry of Health team explained the connection between polio and cholera, noting that both diseases are spread through fecal matter. They highlighted the recent cholera outbreak in Mbale City and suggested that attention should be directed to the Chinese factories and the Doko sewerage points. Polio is a disease of humans and not animals.
