6m stammer in Uganda

By Francis Kagolo OVER six million Ugandans have speech difficulties, particularly stammering, a problem officials said affects their wellbeing and impacts negatively on the country’s economic development. According to Dr. Patrick Turyaguma, a senior medical officer in the Ministry of Health, “over 20% of the population has some degree of speech and language problems”. This excludes the totally dumb, who are also many, he said. Turyaguma said stammering was impacting severely on people’s education and ability to take part in activities that can spur social transformation. “Due to inferiority complex, many children who stammer cannot get education, which prevents them from engaging in development activities.” Turyaguma was speaking at a conference on speech intricacies organised by Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), a UK-based charitable organisation, at Makerere University on Friday. Experts attributed the increasing problem on trauma, particularly resulting from road accidents where the victims’ brain and speech muscles get impaired. Other causes are genetic and parents who disparage their children when they are just learning to speak. Turyaguma said stammering could be cured if one sought help from speech and language therapists as early as possible. But he added that only 2% of the six million Ugandans believed to have the problem have access to speech therapy. This is due to the inadequate number of skilled therapists. To fight the problem, VSO started a bachelor’s degree course in speech and language therapy at Makerere University in 2008. The 14 pioneer students are slated to graduate next year. Isla Jones, one of the course coordinators, said speech therapists reduce stammering and several other problems, including swallowing difficulties, cerebral palsy, hoarse voices, and autism if victims seek intervention early. She said they are working on incorporating speech and language therapy specialists in the ministries of health and education to widen advocacy and expand service provision. Closing the conference, the director general of health services, Dr. Kenya Mugisha, applauded VSO and Makerere University for addressing speech problems, an area he said had been neglected. “We need speech therapists. Speech is important. If you are a politician and can’t speak well, you will be gone,” Mugisha noted. He promised jobs to the speech and language therapy pioneer students once they graduate. Mugisha, however, warned health workers against being driven by the desire to make money. “If you are looking for money in the health profession, forget about it, or else you will work day and night and die suffering,” he said. Mulago Hospital director Dr. Edward Ddumba advised parents to seek the therapists’ services once they notice stammering in their children.