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Monday, August 6, 2012

Agency opens daycare centre for nodding kids

August 6 2012 at 01:00

Gulu District vice chairperson Isaac Newton Ojok helps a boy suffering from nodding disease to plant a tree at the newly-built day care centre in Aromo Wanglobo, Odek Sub-county
Gulu District vice chairperson Isaac Newton Ojok helps a boy suffering from nodding disease to plant a tree at the newly-built day care centre in Aromo Wanglobo, Odek Sub-county on Friday. BY Moses Akena
A daycare centre meant for monitoring, education and research on the nodding syndrome has been opened in Aromo Wanglobo Parish, Odek Sub-County in Gulu District. The centre built by Gulu Hope, a non-governmental organisation based in the district, comes with a classroom, rest beds and medication wing.
“That way, we can help do some research that will open the way which can get a cure for the nodding syndrome,” Professor Sallie Baynton, the founder of Gulu Hope organisation, said at the weekend.
The centre will help to educate and take care of many of the children who have since dropped out of school due to the nodding syndrome.
For instance, in Aromo Wanglobo Primary School, of the 532 pupils that enrolled at the school, 165 of them have been diagnosed with the syndrome, with 12 deaths and 73 drop outs registered in about one year.
The head teacher, Mr Santo Okello, said the disease is a big burden. “It’s very difficult to take care of the nodding syndrome victims and worse still, it has brought a lot of fear to both the teachers and the pupils,” he said.
Many parents in the nodding syndrome inflicted areas have complained of..
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Agency+opens+daycare+centre+for+nodding+kids/-/688334/1471812/-/wm5v1p/-/index.html