Ms Sharifah Aate Taban, the District Woman Representative for Koboko, has urged the government to take action on the issue of students with lifelong diseases such as Hepatitis B who are unable to access education.
On Thursday, November 23rd,2023, During the Parliamentary session, she raised the matter of national importance and cited an instance where six students from Koboko district were sent back home from Oba Technical Institute because they tested positive for Hepatitis B and were denied access to education.
“Rt Hon. Prime Minister, my concern is about my people in Koboko, Six students were sent back from Oba Technical School because they
tested positive for Hepatitis B., Our concern as Koboko is, what other plan does the Government have in place for those students who are suffering from lifelong illnesses because the technical school has denied my students access to studying,” She said.
The Prime Minister, Roninah Nabanja, promised to consult officials from the Ministry of Health and get in touch with district health teams from Koboko to find a solution to the problem.
It is estimated that Hepatitis B claimed the lives of about 1,250 Ugandans in 2022, and about 6% of Uganda’s population is currently chronically infected with the disease. Uganda elevates health for all as the population accesses free hepatitis testing, treatment and vaccines (who.int)
