TEKWARO LANGO ASKS RESIDENTS TO USE HEPATITIS DAY TO SCALE UP TESTING AND TREATMENT OF THE DISEASE
Tekwaro Lango Paramount Chief (Won Nyaci) Eng Dr Michael Moses Odongo Okune has asked the people of Lango, especially the elders to lead exemplary lifestyles so as to guide the young generation to avoid preventable diseases.
Okune notes that most illnesses and diseases can be prevented if only people adhere to guidelines and public health education offered by health experts in the country.
“…it does not make any sense to see an elder spending hours in joints and pubs while having a fleet of women dotted in all corners of the village and trading centres under the false pretext of enjoying life…” Okune cautions.
He describes elders as pillars of families, clans and the whole nation who must uphold the torch of positive values and norms as well as decency and morality to guide the young people for posterity.
The appeal comes as the people of Lango and Uganda at large join the international community to mark World Hepatitis Day on 28 July every year.
Okune is asking the subjects to use this year’s celebrations, being held under the theme: ‘Hepatitis Can’t Wait to scale up testing as well as lifestyle change to avoid infection.
“…let’s do everything within our means and abilities collectively and as individuals by going for timely testing, diagnosis, and treatment so that we have a hepatitis-free society…”, he stressed.
Surveys and studies done by national and international experts show that the prevalence of Hepatitis is highest in Northern and Northwestern Uganda which cover Lango, Acholi and West Nile regions.
These are regions that have struggled to recover from years of wars while some are situated along the international borders like South Sudan and DR Congo where cross border trade and movement are common.
Among the many causes of hepatitis B include the level of education, number of sexual partners leading to infection and recurrence of STIs like syphilis, gonorrhea and HIV.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 400million people globally are infected with the disease and sub-Saharan Africa accounts for the second largest number of patients.
By Arao Denis