Thanks to @Nodding Syndrome for tweeting the link to this report by the Government of Uganda—which it considers misleading: No new cases of nodding disease, Acholi elders say as President unveils government plan to address social dislocation in northern Uganda. Excerpt:
President Yoweri Museveni has said there is urgent need to rehabilitate the north and northeastern Uganda and empower elders as a way of addressing the social dislocation in the region following years of conflict, adding that his government had a grand plan to re-launch the restocking exercise in the region.
The President was also happy to learn that following the mass treatment campaign he launched against river blindness in March at Angura Health Centre in Pader district, there have been no reports of new cases of the nodding disease registered by the Ministry of Health.
Medical experts have linked the nodding disease to the Black fly which also causes river blindness. According to the President, he received reports that the majority of children with nodding disease were also found to have a high load of river blindness, thus his decision to direct for massive treatment and spraying. The President said he would investigate reports of the delay by the ministry of health to spray river beds against black flies.
The President was last Friday meeting members of Pader District Elders Forum, led by Mr. Francis Odida, who called on him at his country home in Rwakitura in Kiruhuura district. The delegation had earlier visited progressive farmers including Ms. Kiiza in Masaka to share experiences on how to optimally land use.
President Yoweri Museveni pledged 50 indigenous cows and 20 Friesian cows, one tractor, 100 ox-ploughs, 50 bicycles and Shs.50 million to Pader Elders Forum to empower them economically to be able to implement their activities of mobilizing their people in the fight against river blindness and nodding disease, social dislocation and youth sensitization about cultural morals
