Kampala — ABOUT 10 million people in Uganda could contract sleeping sickness, according to the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.

Hilary Onek explained that the most affected areas were in the eastern and northwestern regions, adding that Mukono, Apac and more recently Kalangala, have had victims of the disease.

This was contained in a speech read on Monday by the director of animal resources, Dr William Mukani, in Entebbe.

Mukani was opening the Pan-African tsetse and trypanosomiasis eradication campaign.

The project coordinators from the 37 sub-Saharan African countries under the programme are holding their 3rd consultation on the eradication of tsetse flies instead of the current suppression and control methods.

Onek noted that Uganda was the only country affected by both forms of the disease - gambience in the north and rhodesience in the east.

These are acute and chronic types whose diagnosis and treatment is long and complicated, he explained, adding that efforts to fight tsetse flies, Nagana and sleeping sickness by different governments over the years, had had little impact.

The biggest hindrance to the eradication of tsetse flies, Onek noted, was re-infestation because of the breakdown of control measures due to insufficient funds, natural and man-made disasters and uncoordinated efforts.

The other challenge he cited, was of the disease parasites becoming resistant to the few drugs which are even getting scarce as the firms threaten to close the industries due to non-profitability.