By Norman S. Miwambo

12^th March 2012:

L-R: Doctors Acaye and Opio the event

Ugandans living in the United Kingdom (UK) have demanded that the government declares northern Uganda a disaster zone because of the nodding disease that is ravaging most parts of the region.

The activists made the call on Saturday 3, March as they launched a campaign to solicit funds to set-up a research centre, raise awareness, and highlight the dangers of a ‘nodding disease’ which has affected thousands of children aged between 5 and 15 years in northern Uganda.

Ms Belinda Atim, who spearheaded the initiative in conjunction with Lee Oryem and the Acholi community in the UK said they decided to take action because of the situation in northern Uganda.  “We feel that the government’s response is lukewarm and they could do more because it is in charge of the people. We know that they are hearing.” Ms Atim said.

She added:  “We know that some money has been committed by the government but that money is not enough. 100million Uganda Shilling only equates to about £23,000 or £25,000.  It can’t take care of the 3000 children officially known be suffering from the disease.”

She also said much as the media may say or put the death figure at less than 200, “…we know one village which has lost 264 children,” said Ms Atim, before adding that: “In other villages the death rate is higher, we know between 1800 and 2000 children have died.  We feel that the government should have declared northern region a disaster zone.”

The functions was specifically meant to raise awareness to the global scientists community, so that the epidemiologists can pick interests and offer their time to find the cure for the disease that has turned a complicated puzzle.

No politicking

London-based lawyer, Charles Okwir, who authored a book that is critical of Museveni’s governance style called on the audience to take the function as a non-partisan and apolitical event.  He however quickly went off the rail when he said:  “It is virtually impossible to divorce politics from the social affairs of a nation.”  He then went on a posed rhetorical question:

“What is the most fundamental role of the state or government – not just the Ugandan government, but any government around the world?  In my mind, I have concluded that a government’s primary role is the security of its people and their properties.  Whether or not our government has fulfilled that role is a judgement that each of us will have to make privately in our beds.” Okwir said.

Most importantly, however, Okwir said:  “We have gathered here today to send a message of empathy and sympathy to nodding disease victims and their families.  That thousands of miles away, there is a group of people who have gathered in their name…that in their darkest hours of suffering, there are people who have given their time and pennies to simply identifying with them…that we feel their pain.”

He also said the reason some Ugandans have decided to take matters into their own hands is because they have a conscience.  Quoting Dr Martin Luther King, Okwir said, “…to go against your conscious is neither right no safe”, before adding that it would be wrong for Ugandans to continue enjoying their lives while children who are least able to defend themselves continue dying.

Doctors puzzled

According to Dr. Ceaser Acaye, one of the doctors who attended, nodding disease remains a mystery.  He said the most horrible thing is that children with the disease do not know what is going on around them and their future is uncertain.

Dr John Opio, the other doctor who attended the function said “nodding disease is unusual.  Nobody knows what it is.  This is something which has been ‘neglected’.  It brings about what is called polymorphism.” said Dr. Opio.  END.  Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.