Dr. Kizza Besigye has decried the current hepatitis B epidemic in Teso, telling his supporters in Serere district that the outbreak is symptomatic of the Government’s skewed priorities.
Besigye, a presidential flag-bearer of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), contends that hepatitis B, a viral disease that destroys the liver, is preventable since
one can be vaccinated against it.
However, the vaccination, which according to the Ministry of Health costs sh120,000 a dose, is way beyond the reach of most average Ugandans. “A disease like hepatitis B is preventable and it should no longer be in our communities because you can vaccinate citizens against it. That is why I call it an NRM disease,” Besigye told his supporters at Apapai in Serere district.
The Government is currently battling an outbreak of hepatitis B in the subregions
of Teso and West Nile. In 2014, the Government earmarked $11m (about sh39b) to conduct mass vaccination of people in the two affected regions.
However, the vaccination process did not kick off immediately, forcing lawmakers in Teso and West Nile to accuse the Government of underlooking what they deemed to be a health crisis in their areas.
Last month, health minister Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye told MPs sitting on the health committee of Parliament that funds that had initially been earmarked to vaccinate 16 million people in the two sub-regions will only cover three million people.
Initially, the Government had sought to vaccinate all health workers against hepatitis B, reasoning that they are prone to infection by virtue of their work. Meanwhile, Besigye, who was accompanied by area FDC MPs, cautioned his supporters in Teso against apathy, saying: “Change will this time come”.
Besigye has contested the presidency on three previous occasions, each time ending up as runners-up to President Yoweri Museveni. “I know that many of you have voted for change in the previous elections and it has not yet come. I urge you not to give up, but to tighten your belts and give us the final push to complete the job we started many years ago,” Besigye said at Olio Primary School in Serere.
Besigye also promised to restock Teso sub-region in an effort to restore the cattle economy which had been synonymous with the region before an insurgency and cattle rustling by armed Karimojong warriors drew a line under it.
“Teso must become Teso again,” Besigye said to ululation from his supporters at Ocaapa, a dusty trading centre in Serere. Restocking Teso has remained a touchy political issue at every election cycle despite the Government’s continuing efforts to restock the region.
Earlier at Olio Primary School, Besigye delved into the issue of veterans yet to be paid their pension, saying only an FDC government would settle all outstanding pension arrears of veterans. Teso is one of the areas in Uganda with the highest number of ex-servicemen.
