Medical practitioners in the Ministry of Health have warned that many Ugandans are prone to ear, nose, and throat infections due to prevalent risk factors.
Dr. Fred Bisso, the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist at Mulago National Referral Hospital, states that unhealthy practices, including living in a smoky environment, delayed treatment of cases, and self-medication, are some of the risk factors.
He made these remarks on January 30, 2024, during the launch of a one-week operation at Mulago Hospital. He stated that failure to handle these cases early leads to hearing infections, deafness, and brain damage.
“Swellings that are removed from the throats of children are ordinary tissues that have been swelling over time to a point where the air passages are so narrowed and block breathing,” Bisso stated.
Bisso noted that there is a cumulative effect, and the main reason why this happens is that somebody gets an infection in the nose and throat, is not treated well, and lingers around longer than it should. According to Bisso, eventually, the tissues respond to allergic reactions, but only because of repeated exposure to pollutants, dust, and fumes.
According to Ministry of Health statistics, over 70% of the participants in ENT are prone to hearing problems. These conditions require professional attention, and access to professional ENT care is, however, inadequate in Uganda, but more awareness has been emphasised in influencing most communities prone to ENT infections through knowledge sharing using community radios, among others.
