Annual medical and sanitary report / Uganda Protectorate.

  • Uganda Protectorate. Medical Department.
Date:
[1924]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual medical and sanitary report / Uganda Protectorate. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    74/78 (page 74)
    It will be noted that three cases were discovered in Bugungu; they were all immigrants from the neighbourhood of the infected Waki River near Butiaba (q.v.); after the opening of Bugungu some of the immigrants, doubtless already infected, died there. In the absence of palpalis along the Bugungu coast the infection is unlikely to spread and will die out. At Butiaba, which lies outside the Bunyoro infected area but close to the Waki River area, the state of affairs is much improved. The people who formerly lived at the foot of the escarpment between the main road and the river, and surreptitiously visited the latter, which is infested with palpalis along its course, moved back to Bugungu w7hen that was re-opened. The cultivations at the mouth of the river have also been given up. No cases of Sleeping Sickness were found among the Marine employees nor among 36 men, 42 women, and 28 children living in Butiaba township. At Kibiro, which is also outside the Bunyoro area, there are 55 taxpayers. I examined 64 men, 150 women, 82 children, and found twro men infected. As there are no palpalis in the vicinity it is probable that these men had contracted infection wdien walking to Butiaba along the coast where the mouth of the Waki has to be crossed; the bush has grown up since the cultivations ceased. (h) The Nile Infected Area. (i) It,has not been possible this year to tour the part of this large area in the West Nile District. Returns to the District Commissioner by chiefs persistently give no deaths from Sleeping Sickness, but it it doubtful if this represents the true state of affairs. The following quotations, however, from Dr. Rawson when District Medical Officer, Arua, suggests that the disease may be negligible:-— “Judging from my last visit in June, 1922, there is little Sleeping Sickness, and this would appear to be of a chronic type. One case diagnosed in 1921 is still flourishing although he has a few typical large glands.” No visits to this area have been possible since 1922. The people are very afraid of gland-puncture and until a Medical Office]- is appointed who can work regularly in the Sleeping Sickness area and obtain their confidence no progress can be made. Thus the Assistant District Commissioner i/c Alur sub-district reported in 1922 :— “I think it is very evident that there is a very widespread fear amongst these people against examination and treatment, which these spasmodic visits by Medical Officers tend to increase.” (it) The Gulu District.—The Acholi, East Madi and West Madi areas wrere thoroughly examined in January and February. (a) The Acholi Area. The same reluctance to come up for examination was experienced as in the West Nile District. In certain parts it was decided to move the population away from contact with palpalis. Mr. Maitland Warne, District Commissioner, Gfulu, who has shown great energy in attacking Sleeping Sickness, has now moved the population from the dangerously fly-infected parts of the Acholi area and the following quotation from an extract from his annual report kindly sent me is apposite:—“There seems reason to hope that practically all the deaths which have occurred in 1924 were due to infection which had been contracted before the movements took place and that the disease will now actually die out in the Acholi area provided that the people do not winder too far away from the ridges on which their villages are now situated.” The table given below shows that the deaths reported from the Acholi area show a steady decline. At Patiko 3-12 per cent of 64 children examined were found to be infected and 0-4 per cent of 246 men. At Pagak 298 men gave a percentage of 0'67 infected, but none of 70 children were found infected. Clearings in the Acholi Area did not come up to the standard laid down in Instructions and many watering places were found which were not cleared 4t all. It is hoped that the appointment of an extra Administrative Officer for Sleeping Sickness duties in Gulu District, recommended by the conference at the Secretariat in April, but not yet made, will ensure supervision of this most vital work upon which alone at present depends the control of the disease. The District Commissioner, Gulu, has strongly urged the need of a European Inspector to supervise the work of the natives, as the chiefs are too apathetic to see that the clearings are adequately made and maintained.