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BY KASLINE LAKAREBER
KITGUM: Wednesday, September 21, 2022
The Archbishop John Baptist Odama care center (JBOCC) for rehabilitation of children with nodding syndrome is set to be opened on October 2, 2022, the organizers have said.
Christopher Obol Arwai, the planning committee for the grand opening, has appealed to the public to turn up in big numbers to show appreciation and witness the event.
He said the Guest of Honor will the Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, who will be accompanied by a number of dignitaries from the ministry of health.
Also expected at the ceremony are representatives of nongovernmental organisations, cultural leaders, religious leaders, politicians, civil servants, and Members of Parliament from Acholi among others.
The centre was constructed in Kitgum district but it will render support to families from all the affected districts in Northern Uganda -Kitgum, Lira, Omoro, Lamwo, Pader, Agago, Oyam , Gulu and Amuru.
JBOCC was constructed with the support of Archbishop John Baptist Odama of Gulu Archdiocese and the help of different partners and well-wishers to show love for people with nodding syndrome.
The care center is located at Kitgum mission parish in Pager division, Kitgum municipality where the children will be accommodated and supported to allow their parents time to do other income generating activities like farming.
According to Archbishop John Baptist Odama, Executive Director of the John Baptist Odama care center, nodding syndrome is now a community problem which calls for support from the local population.
“This is now our own problem of which we are the very people to support affected families,” he said.
Archbishop Odama noted that since the outbreak of Nodding syndrome in Northern Uganda, it has been a challenge to the families as they struggle to provide necessities for the sick children.
Many socio-economic activities like farming were hampered as parents could not stay away from the patients due to the high demand for constant monitoring.
The archbishop reiterated that the major aim of establishing the care centre is to enable the parents of the children with nodding syndrome to find time to at least do garden work since there will be other caretakers watching the children.
He said the care center will also provide skills training like tailoring, hair dressing, building and concrete practice, agriculture to improve on the nutrition to build the children’s immune system.
