
Hon Dr Jane Ruth Aceng has tasked the cultural leaders in the Lango sub region to take the responsibility of fighting against tuberculosis and leprosy.
Aceng made the call on Thursday 10th/August/2023 while addressing cultural leaders at St Lira hotel where he said cultural leaders should be at the center of fighting the infections of tuberculosis and leprosy.
She said that the rate at which tuberculosis is increasing in the lango sub region is alarming and worries the government which needs cultural attention to combat the spread.
Aceng said that in Uganda, Lango is third behind Kampala and Wakiso and the community should regularly seek for medical attention since the disease is curable at it early stage
Dr.Turyahabwe Stavia the assistant commissioner in the ministry of health said that tuberculosis is high in the district of Otuke,Lira district, Lira City, Oyam and Apac which needs a lot of attention.
Turyahabwe appealed to the cultural leaders from the said district to join hands with the medical personnel in the fight and also that those from districts like Amolatar, Kole and Dokolo with low number of tuberculosis infection to help in sentizing the community to take precautions.
“According to the chart Otuke Lira Oyam and Apac have the largest number of infections this means a lot of attention should be given to these districts. This means cultural leaders from this districts should wake up and fight against this infection”Aceng said
The Lango paramount chief Yosam Odur Ebii said he has the plan to start meeting cultural leaders in their various districts to carry out sensitization on how to curb the infection.
George Rashid Opio, the Okarowok Malakwanga clan head said that each culture has their beliefs and now that the government has blocked them from practicing their cultural norms they should embark on doing research on these affections.According to the report that the Lira District health officer Dr Buchan Ocen released indicates that for the last five days that the process of testing was done in the district 32 turns out to be Tuberculosis positive which is very high