Amuru, Uganda | Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, has sharply criticized the Ministry of Health for failing to declare a cholera outbreak in Amuru District, despite rising deaths and infections.
Speaking on Wednesday during the launch of the multibillion-shilling climate-resilient, gender-responsive cross-border market in Elegu Town Council, Kadaga questioned the ministry’s silence amid a growing health crisis. Local leaders briefed her on the challenges of containing the highly contagious diarrheal disease along the Uganda–South Sudan border without an official emergency declaration.
Geoffrey Osborn Oceng, Amuru Resident District Commissioner, said that despite raising the cholera situation in Parliament, the Health Ministry has taken minimal action. He further claimed that during a virtual briefing, the ministry reportedly refused to declare an emergency, citing potential economic consequences.
Kadaga expressed shock at the ministry’s inaction, saying, “I’m surprised that the Ministry of Health does not want to declare an emergency concerning cholera. I’m going to take up on it… If the ministry isn’t declaring an emergency, it must at least pay attention to save lives in Elegu Town Council.”
The criticism comes as health officials report a recent spike in cases following the death of a female money lender on Monday at Bibia Health Centre III, which has been central to the cholera response. Milton Okello, the facility in-charge, said five people have died since the outbreak was first registered on July 2 in Lorikor West Village.
Okello noted that recent flooding after the Unyama River burst its banks has caused the disease to spread to Lorikor East Village. By Tuesday, 12 patients were admitted at Bibia Health Centre III, receiving treatment for acute diarrheal infections. He warned that limited interventions could prolong the outbreak.
Efforts to obtain comments from Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng were unsuccessful, though she previously acknowledged the cholera situation during a parliamentary session on July 31. Dr. Aceng emphasized that cholera is a sanitation-related disease requiring a multisectoral response involving residents and local authorities, not solely the ministry.
Local leaders are calling for urgent government intervention, including funding for drainage channels to prevent floodwater from contaminating domestic water sources and the provision of garbage trucks and skips to improve waste management. Kassim Akule, LCI Chairperson of Lorikor West Village, stressed that heavy rains and river overflows exacerbate water-borne disease spread due to the lack of proper drainage.
According to health statistics, 304 people have been admitted and treated at Bibia Health Centre III. Of these, 292 tested positive using rapid diagnostic tests, and 57 were confirmed through PCR and culture sensitivity tests.
The situation in Amuru highlights the urgent need for coordinated action to prevent further loss of life and contain cholera in flood-prone communities along Uganda’s northern border.