Highlights
The number of Burundian individuals seeking refuge in Uganda has reduced but in a typical fluctuating trend as observed in the first quarter of the year. In Nakivale, less than a hundred Burundians (78) arrived in the reporting period compared to last week’s 163 new arrivals. Of the new arrivals, 37 arrived through Mirama Hills, five were from Mutukulu, seven from Gatuna border and 23 were referrals from Kyangwali Refugee Settlement. There were additional six walk-ins that were received at Kabazana Reception Centre. Most of the new arrivals are coming from Kironde, Makamba, Bubanza, Rumonge, Muyinga, Bujumbura and Kibitoke provinces, with a noticeable increase in the number of single young men, citing forceful recruitment of youth by militias, as reason for fleeing.
With the onset of the rainy period, the Ministry of Health (MoH) recently issued general community guidelines, while warning against associated weather effects like flooding, contamination of water sources, destruction of property and multiplication of disease-causing vectors like mosquitoes. UNHCR and partner health and community WASH teams have stepped up sensitization and health promotion efforts with an aim of averting malaria, and other wet weather associated diseases like cholera, typhoid, dysentery, acute watery diarrhoea, bilharzia and acute respiratory infections, some of which (cholera) have already been reported in the country-side.
Relatedly, Uganda has been hit by the deadly yellow fever outbreak, which is reportedly ravaging DR Congo and Angola. The disease has already claimed 10 lives with several others admitted in the one of the Mid-Western districts of Masaka, and now Rukungiri-in SW Uganda. The MoH, with support from WHO is organising a mass immunization campaign against yellow fever in the affected districts. Whereas no case has been reported in any of the refugee settlements, UNHCR and partner community health teams have been urged to include yellow fever in the community health sensitization efforts.
PRIORITIES
- Community WASH sensitization and health promotion efforts with an aim of averting malaria, diarrhea and hygiene illnesses associated with the onset of the rainy period.