By; Ben Musanje

Government has embarked on eliminating river blindness in 11 districts that are neighboring South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) believed to have remained with the disease.

The Minister for Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng told the media at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala today that the challenges that have affected the control of river blindness in these districts is due to the flowing rivers that crosses to DR Congo and South Sudan being difficult to cross over.

River blindness is a disease that affects eyes and the human bodies, transmitted by flies by breeding on flowing rivers.

According to the Minister, 39 districts from Northern region, East and Central part of the country have been affected by the disease but so far 18 of them have been cured due to government interventions.

However, the Ministry of Health in conjunction with The Carter Center are undergoing a meeting of the Uganda Onchocerciasis Elimination Expert Advisory Committee (UOEEAC) from today to August 9th 2018 at the Sheraton to forge away forward on controlling the disease especially on districts bordering S. Sudan, DRC and Uganda.


Wednesday 8th August 2018 06:39:02 AM