800 Ugandans trafficked- 2013 report

The love for money and search for a better life has made so many Ugandans willing to go and work a broad fall victims of human trafficking. Uganda is one of the countries in the world that have organized trafficking rings which have lured at least 837 Ugandans into conditions that border on modern-day slavery, a new report shows.

The 2013 report on Trafficking In Persons (TIP) indicates that of that number, 429 were victims of transnational trafficking, while 408 were trafficked internally.

 

Uganda was a destination for at least 20 victims from six countries: Madagascar, Somalia, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and Tanzania.

 

“We can’t tell exactly the percentage of the increase in victims of trafficking because there were no proper record mechanisms of trafficking cases in police in 2012,” said Moses Binoga, the coordinator of the Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce at the ministry of Internal Affairs. “But what we know is that the number of reported cases increased in 2013 due to increased sensitisation on human trafficking.”

 

Binoga further told The Observer that not all human trafficking reports got by other agencies outside the police were registered as criminal cases, because some victims were uncooperative, while others lacked clear details.

 

“This explains why the statistics given in this TIP report are bound to be higher than the ones given in the police’s Annual Crime Report 2013,” he added.

 

The report found that deception, with promises of employment, care, education and marriage, was a key driver behind much of the trafficking. But force was sometimes used in cases related to human sacrifice.

 

Most transnational victims of trafficking were recruited by individuals and unlicensed companies in Kampala. The majority of the victims left the country disguised, usually by road, through neighbouring countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, and South Sudan.

 

Ugandan officials are scrambling to act on an envoy’s report that more than 600 Ugandan girls are trapped in Malaysian prostitution rings with no easy way out.

 

Advertisements pinned on the walls of shopping malls in Uganda’s capital promise young women a free ticket to a well- paying job in Malaysia as a nanny, maid or bartender. But the advertisements are a trap.

Uganda’s honorary consul in Kuala Lumpur said in a report released last week that up to 10 Ugandans are trafficked to Malaysia daily and that at least three have been killed there in the last two years.

The U.S. Department of State said in its 2011 report that Uganda “does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.

According to the U.S. State Dept Trafficking in Persons Report, June, 2009 ; Uganda is a source and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation.

Ugandan children are trafficked within the country for forced labor in the fishing, agricultural, and domestic service sectors, as well as for commercial sexual exploitation; they are also trafficked to other East African and European countries for the same purposes.

Karamojong women and children are sold as slaves in cattle markets or by intermediaries and are subsequently forced into domestic servitude, sexual exploitation, cattle herding, and begging.

Human trafficking of Ugandan children for the forcible removal of body parts reportedly is widespread; so-called witchdoctors seek various body parts of live victims for traditional medical concoctions commonly purchased to heal illness, foster economic advancement, or hurt enemies.

Exploitation

The highest number of complaints registered in cases of transnational trafficking included labour exploitation, mostly in the form of domestic work and sexual exploitation through forced prostitution in the Middle East and South East Asian countries.

 

Other forms of exploitation included human sacrifice, child marriage, removal of body organs for sale, and worker conditions similar to slavery.

 

According to the report, Ugandans were trafficked mostly to Kuwait (98), Syria (83), DRC (72), Malaysia (43), India (35), UAE (15), Turkey (13), Kenya (11), Qatar (10), South Sudan (10), Thailand (08), Saudi Arabia (04), Oman (03), Iraq (03), China (02), South Africa (02), Germany (02), USA (02), Rwanda (02), Czech Republic (01), Lebanon (01), UK (01), the Netherlands (02), and Switzerland(01).

 

At least 250 suspects were arrested over human trafficking-related cases last year. Of these, 56 were taken to court and two suspects were convicted of promoting human trafficking, the report says.

 

Over 77 cases of human trafficking are still before the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice and over 44 cases were dismissed due to loss of interest by the victims.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH STATEMENT ON MARBURG

The Ministry of Health would like to inform the general public that there is a confirmed case of Marburg in the country.

 This initial case follows laboratory tests done at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) on September 30th 2014 which confirmed that one person, a health worker, had died of the viral hemorrhagic fever.

The index case is a 30-year-old male Radiographer, who originally was working in Mpigi Health Centre IV, Mpigi Town Council but had been recruited by Mengo Hospital two month ago as a Radiographer. He started feeling unwell on September 17th while at Mengo Hospital and travelled back to Mpigi HCIV on September 18th to seek treatment since he felt more comfortable with a facility that he had worked with for a long time.

He was treated at Mpigi Health Center IV but when his condition worsened, he was transferred back to Mengo Hospital where he was admitted on September 23rd. He presented with Headache, Epistaxis, abdominal pain, vomiting blood and diarrhea. His condition deteriorated on September 27th and a Viral Haemorraghic fever was suspected. Blood samples were removed for further analysis on September 28th; unfortunately he died on the same day. His body was taken to Munkunyu 1 Village, Munkunyu Sub-county, Kasese district for burial.

Preliminary reports also show that his brother, one of the contacts so far listed has developed signs. He has been quarantined and isolated for further monitoring. Samples have been taken from him and are being tested at the Uganda Virus Research Institute. The public will be informed of his status. Altogether 80 contacts have been listed from Mengo, Mpigi and Kasese for follow up.

Marburg Viral Haemorraghic fever is a fatal illness caused by the Marburg virus which belongs to the filoviridae family together with the Ebola virus. The incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days while the Case fatality rates vary from 24% to 88%. Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are considered to be the natural hosts of Marburg virus. The Marburg virus is transmitted to people from the fruit bats and spreads among humans through human-to-human transmission by
direct contact with wounds and body fluids like blood, saliva, vomitus, stool and urine of an infected person.

A person suffering from Marburg presents with sudden onset of high fever with any of the following;
1. Headache
2. Vomiting blood
3. Joint and muscle pains
4. Bleeding through the body openings, i.e. eyes, nose, gums, ears, anus and the skin.

There is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine available; patients are usually given supportive treatment.

The Ministry of Health is undertaking the following measures to control the spread of the disease;

• Yesterday, a team of epidemiologists and surveillance officers were sent to Mpigi Health Center IV, Mengo Hospital and to Kasese district to investigate the case and list all people who got into contact with the dead.

• So far, a total of 80 people who got into contact with the initial confirmed case have been identified and isolated as a precautionary measure and for follow up for any signs and symptoms within the 21 days incubation period. These include 38 health workers from Mengo Hospital, including his brother and 22 health workers from Mpigi Health Center IV and 20 people from Kasese district. They are currently being monitored by a team of epidemiologists from the Ministry of Health.

• Arrangements have been put in place to transport all suspect cases to the National Isolation Facility in Entebbe should they occur. The facility is already stocked with the necessary infection control materials and other supplies to handle any incoming patients.

• Arrangements have also been made at Mengo Hospital to isolate any suspect with symptoms. Health workers have been asked to effect all infection control measures.

• Preparations are underway to train all health workers at Mengo Hospital and Mpigi Health Center IV on infection control starting tomorrow 6/10/2014 at 9.00am

• Government working with partners and specifically Medicens San Frontiers (MSF) are in the process of revamping the isolation facility at Mulago National Referral Hospital under the leadership of Kampala Capital City Authority in readiness and the facility will be ready in three days time.

• MSF is also mobilizing additional resources to assist with infection control and case management at all the isolation facilities that have been set up.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) is providing technical assistance and logistical support (PPE’s) to all the affected facilities.

• In Kasese, a team has been dispatched to work with the district official and Kagando Hospital to trace for any other suspects.

• Personal Protective Equipments (PPE’s) and other supplies have been mobilized and sent to Mengo and Mpigi health center IV and Kagando HCIV.

• National Medical Stores will supply additional infection control materials to Mengo Hospital and Mpigi HCIV by tomorrow morning.

 The Ministry of Health however informs the general Public that Mengo Hospital is safe and all measures have been taken to ensure that there is no further spread of infection. Patients are encouraged to continue to receive services from there.

 Ministry of Health urges the general public to observe the following protective measures;
• Report any suspected patient to a nearby health unit

• Avoid direct contact with body fluids of a person presenting with bleeding tendencies or symptoms of Marburg.

 The Ministry of Health once again calls upon the public to remain calm and be on alert amidst this epidemic. All suspect cases can be reported on the Ministry hotline on +256750996034.

Hon. Elioda Tumwesigye
Minister of State for General Duties &
Holding the Portfolio of Minister for Health