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Pupils of St.Mary's Kagadi Model Primary School in Kagadi district washing hands, one of the hygienic ways to prevent spread of contagious diseases.
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Health officials in Kagadi district have expressed worry over the overwhelming cases of (conjunctivitis) Red eye disease that have seen the number of patients stand at 837.
The disease has widely spread in schools that include Uganda Martyrs SS Mugalike, St. Adolf Tibeyalirwa SS Muhorro, Kagadi Model Primary School and Quality education centre.
Also, a number of patients from villages including Kyenzigye, Mabaale, Kagadi and Muhororo have been admitted at Kagadi general hospital.
Aisha Justine Tumwebaze, the Kagadi district health educator confirmed that all the 837 patients are receiving treatment at Kagadi general hospital while 300 others have been discharged.
The Kagadi Resident district Commissioner (RDC) Lillian Ruteraho notes that much as there has been reduction in the cases at Mambugu government prison, there is a reason to worry why they are increasing in schools.
Background
Conjunctivitis is an infection caused by a virus and according to health experts, it is contagious but usually disappears within a week without medical treatment.
On March 13, 2024 the acting director of Education and social services at Kampala capital city Authority (KCCA) Charles Bonnie Maginot wrote a letter addressed to all headteachers of Government and private educational facilities alerting of an outbreak of the disease and that the cases had already been reported in some schools.
Headteachers cry out to government
Ramadhan Nyondo Barongo, the headteacher of Kagadi SS, one of the affected schools, asked government to give them assistance in terms of money and tools to prevent further spread of the disease.
He says the school has a bigger enrolment of about 3000 students and it will be hard to manage such a big number without money and preventive tools.
Experts have since advised that regular washing of hands is the most sanitary way of preventing the disease from spreading.
Catherine Aromorach, the Bunyoro Regional program officer in charge of Malaria while addressing students, warned that besides Conjunctivitis, there are other life-threatening diseases calling upon them to embrace all health-related interventions brought to them by the government.
