Impact of Industrial Effluents on Water Quality of Streams in Nakawa-Ntinda, Uganda

In Uganda industries generate large proportions of solid wastes and wastewater. The wastes are disposed into the environment untreated leading to pollution. This study was undertaken to examine selectedphysicochemical parameters of streams that receive effluents from different categories of industries in Nakawa -Ntinda industrial area of Kampala. the stream water quality were pH (3.68 -12.41mg/l), EC (212 - 4633 ìScm-1), turbidity (20.9 - 715.9NTU), colour (72 - 958TCU), BOD (16.4 -325.5 mg/l), COD (39 -1351mg/l), TN (0.45 - 32.63mg/l), TP (0.078 - 1.674mg/l), Na (0.59 - 53.04mg/l), Cl (11.68 - 31.08mg/l), Ca (6.38- 38.75mg/l), Pb (0.039 - 0.256mg/l), Cu (0.015 - 0.52 mg/l) and Cd (below detection limit). Food and beverage industries discharged effluents in noncompliance to Ugandan national regulations (BOD, COD, EC, Nitrogen, Turbidity and Colour), while chemical and pharmaceutical industries did not comply as regards heavy metals. All the industries did not have any wastewater treatment plant. This study reveals a scenario typical of most industries in developing nations where enforcement of environmental regulations are deficient. To avoid pollution Regulatory Authorities should closely monitor compliance by industries

Plasma levels of DDT/DDE and liver function in malaria control personnel 6 months after indoor residual spraying with DDT in northern Uganda, 2008

Objective. We investigated the relationship between plasma levels of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and liver function in malaria control personnel 6 months after one round of DDT indoor residual spraying (IRS). Method. This was a cross-sectional study in the districts of Apac and Oyam of Lango, northern Uganda. Volunteers were clinically examined, and 5 ml samples of venous blood were taken in heparinised tubes for a 6-month post-spray screening for DDT and plasma markers of liver function and internal organ disease. DDE/DDT was assayed using ELISA kits (Abraxis, USA); plasma enzyme activity concentrations of amylase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) were analysed using routine clinical chemistry-automated methods (Konelab, Vantaa, Finland). Results. All 96 plasma samples analysed for xenobiotics contained DDE/DDT in the empirical range of 24.00 - 128.00 parts per billion (ppb) with a mean (SD) of 77.00 (±26.00) ppb. All 119 plasma samples studied for the markers exhibited enzyme activity concentration values within the population reference ranges, with empirical means (SD) of amylase 71.86 (34.07), AST 23.83 (12.71), ALT 7.84 (10.01) and GGT 58.37 (62.68) µg/l. Conclusion. Six months after IRS with DDT, the spray team had an average concentration of plasma DDE/DDT of 77 ppb. This had no deleterious effect on liver function. We recommend continued use of DDT for IRS disease control in Uganda until better practical alternatives are available

Proposed guidelines for the management of nodding syndrome

Nodding Syndrome is a poorly understood neurologic disorder of unknown aetiology that affects children and adolescents in Africa. Recent studies have suggested that the head nods are due to atonic seizures and Nodding Syndrome may be classified as probably symptomatic generalised epilepsy. As part of the Ugandan Ministry of Health clinical managementresponse, a multidisciplinary team developed a manual to guide the  training of health workers with knowledge and skills to manage the  patients. In the absence of a known cause, it was decided to offer  symptomatic care. The objective is to relieve symptoms, offer primary and secondary prevention for disability and rehabilitation to improve function. Initial management focuses on the most urgent needs of the patient and the immediate family until ‘stability’ is achieved. The most importantneeds were considered as seizure control, management of behavioural and psychiatric difficulties, nursing care, nutritional and subsequently, physical and cognitive rehabilitation. This paper summarises the processes by which the proposed guidelines were developed and provides an outline of the specific treatments currently being provided for the patients

Supporting Local Seed Businesses : A Training Manual for ISSD Uganda

The training manual is developed in Uganda to train partner organisations in coaching farmer groups to become sustainable local seed businesses. It introduces the Integrated Seed Sector Development Programme in Uganda and the concept of local seed businesses (LSBs). The manual has 5 modules covering selection, monitoring and sustaining local seed businesses; technically equipping local seed businesses, professionally organising LSBs; orienting LSBs to the market and strategically linking them to service providers

UPGro Hidden Crisis Research Consortium : project approach for defining and assessing rural water supply functionality and levels of performance

This technical brief is aimed at sharing the learning and approaches developed by the UPGro Hidden Crisis Research Project to look at how the functionality and performance levels of boreholes equipped with handpumps (HPBs), can be assessed using a common set of definitions and methods. A tiered approach to defining and measuring functionality is found to be useful to examining functionality for different scales and purposes of monitoring. This report is aimed at national and regional actors involved in the provision and monitoring of rural water supply functionality. The brief sets out the tiered functionality definitions, and accompanying survey methods, which were developed by the project and have been applied in functionality surveys across Ethiopia, Uganda and Malawi [5-7]. The brief provides a summary of: • The tiered approach to defining and measuring the functionality and performance levels of boreholes equipped with handpumps (HPBs). • A series of survey methods which were found to be useful by the Hidden Crisis project to collect sufficient data to assess HPB functionality across the tiered definition approach. • A series of guidelines which could form core criteria for assessing functionality and performance levels of water points . This summary should be read in conjunction with the appendices which provide details of the methods and approaches described

Oral literature and its social background among the Acholi and Lango

This thesis is based on literary texts I collected in Acholi and Lango Districts of Uganda between April and October 1962, and those found in the published works of the following authors: J.P. Abe 'Ododo Acholi (Acholi Folk Tales in verse) in Acholi Magazine No. 4 1953. Mr. Abe also lent me his tape recordings of nanga songs; R. S. Anywar, Acholi ki ker Megi 1948; R.M. Bere 'An Outline of Acholi History', Uganda Journal Vol. II No.1, 'Land Tenure among the Acholi' Uganda Journal Vol. 19 No.l; Miss C.B. Cave 'Cardok Acholi' (Acholi Proverbs) in Acholi Magazine No.3 (1952); T.L. Cox 'Lango Proverbs', Uganda Journal Vol. 10; J.H. Driberg The Lango (1923); Rev. H.E. Lees Gang Fables (1930); Rev. Fr. A. Malandra Tekwaro Acholi (1946), 'The Ancestral Shrine of Acholi' Uganda Journal Vol. 7; Rev. Fr. P.A. Negri 'La Tribu niloltica delgi Acioli' La Nigrizia 1932, 1933, 1934. D. Oceng 'Land Tenure among the Acholi' Uganda Journal Vol. 19 No.l L. Okech Tekwaro ki ker Lobo Acholi (1953). D. Ongo 'Buk pa Kwari wa' (The Books of Our Ancestors - songs) Acholi Magazine No. 3.; Rev. Fr. v. Pelligrini Acholi Macon (1949); Rev . Fr. Tarantino 'The Origins of the Lango' Uganda Journal Vo.1. 10, 'Notes on the Lango' Uganda Journal Vol. 13 No. 2. A.C.A. Wright Fifteen Lango Folk Tales (l958), 'Lango Folk Tales - an analysis' Uganda Journal Vol. 24, 'The Supreme Being among the Acholi' Uganda Journal Vol. 7. A select bibliography is appended. The Introduction consists of brief descriptions of Acholi and Lango countries, and the political , social and economic organizations, and the recent history of the two peoples. There is a critical examination of Dr. F. Girling's claim that the Kings of Bunyoro had suzerainty over Acholi. In chapters 2 - 5, I examine Acholi and Lango myths and the historical songs of two Acholi dances: otole and bwala, and the mwoc - praise names , and also Lango Age - Sets songs . An attempt is made to give a sociological explanation for the striking contrast between the Acholi and Lango "in the conspicuous presence in the former and the no less conspicuous absence in the latter, of native history and tradition" (Codrington, R.H . The Melanesians,(l891), p.47). Chapters 6 - 9 consider Acholi Funeral Dirges , the Lango do not have special funeral songs; chants at ancestral spirit shrines in Acholi and Lango; and songs sung at spirit possession dances. Chapter 6 consists of a critical examination of views put forward by other students of Acholi and Lango religous ideas; and a classification of Acholi and Lango spiritual beings . A table of Acholi chiefdom Joks is appended. In Chapters 10 - 12, I consider songs of the Orak dance of the Acholi , Acholi and Lango proverbs and Folk tales as social sanctions and means of inculcating moral ideas. Throughout I have tried to discuss the texts within their proper social contexts, paying attention to the performers and the audience whether in dancing, singing or telling folk tales. Due to shortage of funds (the Acholi District scholarship was terminated in March 1962, and my field work was financed from personal loans and part time jobs) I was unable to do much work among the Lango. For most of the Lango texts I have therefore relied on the available literature.</p

Variation in composition of macro-benthic invertebrates as an indication of water quality status in three bays in Lake Victoria

No Abstract