Strange disease that leaves ‘numbers’ on people’s skin worries Mubende residents.

 

MUBENDE: A strange disease that leaves marks and numbers on people’s skin has sent residents of Kisombwa village in Kibaliinga Sub County, Mubende district into alleviated fear after victims started developing spots shaped like figures on their bodies.

Residents who opened up to a local media outlet (NilePost) expressed fear over the strange disease which leaves spots on them mysteriously.

Sophia Namwanje, a mother of two children who shared her experience with the outlet says she woke up one day with an itchy skin one morning only to notice that she had developed a mark on her left that resembled the number 9.

She says this further heightened her fears as she had previously heard about a young boy who had a similar body mark. To her surprise, upon checking on the boy, she realized their marks were the same.

According to Namwanje, these marks could be satanic, as she had never experienced them before in her life.

The young mother in her 20s is also worried about her life because when others see this mark on her thigh, they claim that it is a satanic mark and that she will die after nine days.

She says even her friends in the community have started avoiding her, fearing they may contract the same mark.

“Transportation has also become a challenge, as even commercial motorcyclists (boda boda) have started avoiding me,” Namwanje narrates worryingly, adding that the condition has afflicted more people although the majority are keeping silent out of fear of being ostracised.

“Those already afflicted are calling on the Ministry of Health to intervene,” she adds.

Another resident, Pulisidiat Ndibuhwa recounted that her grandson, who is five years old, has also been affected by these mysterious marks on his chest for the past two months.

Ndibuhwa says despite the efforts of spiritual healers, the situation has not improved and she is now worried that with her grandson’s declining health, she might eventually lose him.

Local leaders when contacted expressed fear that witch doctors in the village may have a hand in causing these marks.

Kisombwa LC1 Vice Chairperson, Mr James Isingoma urged the Ministry of Health to intervene ASAP to address the situation and alleviate people’s fears, before encouraging the community to report any cases involving these body marks to the health officials in the central Ugandan district.