Health officials in Buikwe District are alarmed by a surge in malaria cases, with children and expectant mothers hit hardest. Bernadette Nabuuma, the Deputy District Health Officer (DHO), raised the alarm during a meeting with Village Health Teams (VHTs) at Ngogwe Health Center IV.
Nabuuma revealed that 20% of patients visiting health facilities tested positive for malaria, with many cases linked to communities along the shores of Lake Victoria. She attributed the crisis to the failure to use mosquito nets, delayed medical attention, and widespread self-medication.
“Poor health-seeking behavior, self-medication, and failure to clear bushes around homes have fueled this outbreak,” she warned. Shockingly, eight children died of malaria last month alone.
Nabuuma also pointed to religious cults in Ngogwe Sub-county resisting immunization efforts, further worsening the situation.
At Ngogwe Health Center IV, in-charge Oliver Nayikolo reported over 200 malaria cases in January, many of them severe.
With the crisis escalating, Nabuuma urged Village Health Teams, local leaders, and health workers to intensify public sensitization on early malaria treatment, proper health-seeking behavior, and the consistent use of mosquito nets to curb the disease.
