Half of Ugandans suffer from allergy-Study

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Residents of Kampala are now more likely than ever before to develop allergies. In fact, five of every ten people in Kampala either have rhinitis, itchy watery eyes or skin rash.

This is part of the findings of a study conducted the by Makerere University Lung Institute. The study shows that while allergies are on the rise both in urban and rural Uganda, more urbanites are reporting with allergies and their associated infections to hospitals.

Dr. Bruce Kirenga, an allergy expert and head the Lung institute, told URN that 3416 people were surveyed at household level to determine the prevalence of allergic asthma and other allergies and that respondents were followed for 12 months.

Kirenga says more women than men are likely to develop allergies in adulthood and that the most common allergies in the country are asthma, nasal congestion and skin rash.

He says the rise in the allergies is mostly a result of environmental pressures that come with urbanization such as crowding and air pollution.

For instance, he says 40% of the people found with asthma, which was attributable to their urban residences.

Urban populations, he explained in many low and middle income countries, are exposed to several risk factors like ambient and household air pollution that affects the smaller lungs and leads to a decline in their functions.

He warns that allergies can sometimes have tragic consequences and yet not many people know what to do when an allergic reaction strikes.

As a result, he says many people order over the counter antihistamines, cortical steroids and antibiotics  yet they may not necessarily need such treatments.

He said, in the study, 7.7% of the urbanites who reported to have had shortness in breathing, said they had used self-medication to aid breathing in the last twelve months.

Another expert, Dr. Sabrina Kitaka, a pediatrician at Mulago hospital, says the way one treats their allergies can put them at risk of another infection, which may require a different form of treatment.

Dr. Rebecca Nantanda says patients can take control and manage their allergies themselves.

However, the experts agree that the best treatment for allergies is identifying what affects one and try to avoid it.

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URN