The Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) has started spraying homes of cholera patients’ in Mbale District as it works with authorities to reduce the spread of the disease in communities.
URCS has so far sprayed 40 homes of cholera patients in Busamaga Parish in Wanale Division and Namatala Parish in Industrial Division. Mbale district requested the Red Cross to conduct in-door spraying of the homes to combat the spread.
URCS’ Mbale Regional Program Manager Stephen Wamukota said the district provided the spray pumps. He said URCS volunteers are using jik and chlorine to spray the home. The jik and chlorine help to disinfect germs that spread cholera.
The Red Cross volunteers move to villages in search of the patients’ homes. After spraying, relatives of the patients’ are then encouraged to wash the clothes which are already disinfected.
The exercise is to be spread to the other areas affected in Busamaga in Wanale Division, Namatala-Doko, Mooni in Wanale division and Namakwekwe in Northern Division.
In addition, the Red Cross has also distributed 24, 000 water purification tablets to communities. This has been combined with extensive sensitization of the communities especially in the affected areas where 62, 000 people have so far been reached.
URCS Secretary General Michael Richard Nataka said 20 volunteers have been deployed to support interventions in areas of creating awareness on cholera prevention and hygiene promotion.
To date, 105 cholera cases have been registered in Mbale district with 7 death. The new cholera treatment centres set up in Namatala and Busiu are still operational. As of March 15th, 3 people were still admitted at Namatala centre.