According to the Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Omoro County in Gulu district Hon Jacob Oulanyah; Parliament has approved Shs6 billion for the treatment of children affected by the nodding disease syndrome, covering all affected areas in Northern Uganda.  The money will be released quarterly.

This was recently disclosed by Oulanyah during a tour of his constituency to assess the extent of the nodding disease epidemic.

“We have approved Shs6 billion for the treatment of nodding syndrome children, this money will be released quarterly, although Gulu district so far has only received Shs50 million,” Oulanyah said.

Dr. Paul Onek the District Health Officer (DHO) for Gulu district recently told the verification team dispatched from the Ministry of Health to verify the extent the of the epidemic in Gulu and Amuru districts, that the Shs50 million promised by the government was too little and had not yet been received by the district. 

Earlier, the LCV Chairman for Gulu district Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi together with other district officials had threatened to transport children who are affected by the nodding disease to Parliament.

The MOH responded by sending a medical team for a two weeks variation exercise in Gulu and Amuru districts. 

Mr. Oulanyah said that he was very moved when he visited Aromo Wang Lobo in Odek Sub County, arguing that the condition of the sick nodding children needs urgent attention. 

“There are 130 nodding disease children at Aromo Wang Lobo of which 39 dropped out of school and 11 children have died,” Oulanyah said.

He added that the Ministry of Health should also give food nutrition in the affected areas and consider opening a treatment centre at Aromo Wang Lobo since the nodding disease children cannot be transported to Odek Health Centre IV which is 17 kilometres away. 

Dr Jane Achieng the Director General of Health Services in the Ministry of Health accused the Department of Health in Gulu district of a failure to notify the MOH when the epidemic broke out in the district.  She said that the MOH only received a report in late in April 2012.

“We are sorry to respond to calls by nodding disease children affected in Gulu late but it was due to Gulu District’s Health Services circler which was sent late in April after the budget supplement approval,” Dr Achieng said. 

The Member of Parliament for Kilak County in Amuru district Hon Olanya Gilbert however, said that the MOH must not play politics with the disease; “the Uganda government simply took too long to recognize that Gulu and Amuru districts had been affected by nodding disease.”

“I don’t know why Uganda government does not want to declare Acholi sub region a desaster area.” Mr. Olanya wondered.