1.0 NEWS

1.1 Immunization programmes have been undertaken in the whole of Kisoro District at Health Centres II, III and IV.  It is gratifying that out of 33 Health Centres, CLARE NSENGA emerged number one in Child Health Days Immunization.

2.0 COMMUNITY SENSITIZATION PROGRAMME

2.1 Starting from this year (2010) Clare Nsenga Foundation embarked on community sensitization for the catchment population of Clare Health Unit. The catchment area is comprised of 9 villages and all of them are being covered under this programme. 6 Village Health Team (VHT) members are distributed in these villages and are doing the sensitization.  As a matter of fact, health education has contributed to prevention of diseases as well as their early recognition reading to timely and effective treatment. Many of these common diseases are due to inappropriate behaviours often stemming from harmful briefs, ignorance and harmful practices. It is on this basis that Clare Nsenga foundation chose to sensitize the community in form of health education messages.

2.2 The topic for the month of January was Malaria.

(i) Malaria is number one cause of morbidity and mortality in all parts of Uganda. It is the most frequent cause of visits to health facilities, and kills more people than any other single disease in the country. All people in Uganda are at risk of being infected with malaria parasites and developing malaria, but the most vulnerable groups are children under five years, pregnant women, people living with HIV/AIDS and travelers from where malaria transmission is low or none existent.  Approximately 95% of Uganda’s territory, where 88% of the population lives, is exposed to moderate to very high perennial transmission of malaria.

(ii)Malaria in children.

Deaths due to malaria are highest among children under 5 years in Uganda. According to the Uganda malaria control strategic plan 2005/6-2009/10, about 25-30 % of deaths among children under five admitted to health facilities are due to malaria (MOH, 2005), translating into an estimated 70,000 to 100,000 of deaths per year among these children. In addition malaria has long-term consequences for child development. These include chronic anaemia and neurological complications leading to poor academic performance.

(iii) Malaria in pregnant women.

As mentioned above, this is another vulnerable group in whom malaria has devastating effects. It causes severe anaemia, abortion, and low birth weight and is therefore a major factor contributing to death and foetal wastage. It is estimated that 60% of spontaneous abortions are caused by malaria (MOH, 2008)

(iv) Malaria in people living with HIV/AIDS.

Malaria makes HIV/AIDS worse and HIV?AIDS makes malaria worse (Idemyor, 2007). Malaria infection and fever rates are increased in people with HIV/AIDS especially those with low CD4 counts or high viral loads. Malaria in people with HIV/AIDS is more associated with more severe disease and deaths. Also anti-malarial therapy appears to be less effective in people living with HIV/AIDS.

(v) Malaria and poverty.

Malaria is a major factor contributing to poverty in Africa. It is estimated that the total yearly economic burden of malaria in Africa is about US $ 12 billion (World Bank 2008).In Uganda, the direct cost of treatment for an episode of suspected malaria averages US $ 4.10 in urban settings and US $ 1.80 in rural populations (MOH, 1998). The proportion of household expenditure spent on malaria may reach up to 34% in the poorer sections of the society (WHO/UNICEF, 2003).

(vi) The malaria control strategy.

The Uganda malaria control programme is based on 4 main intervention strategies;

(vii) Following the above information, the 6 trained VHTs set out for massive community sensitization on malaria, and the table below describes the number and category of people who were exposed to these messages.

 

From the above table it can be concluded that a total number of 1216 were sensitized on malaria in 9 villages in January 2010.  The avenues of communication were mainly churches and the traditional groups.

3.0 ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN (OVCs).

These are 80 pupils at Katarara Primary School who are registered as orphans. 65 of them were given school uniform (a pair each) and goats.

At the secondary school level there are 3 students (girls)  who are registered and benefiting from Clare Nsenga Foundation.

They are in the following schools;