Uganda has loses the fight against HIV-Activists

Uganda has loses the fight against HIV-Activists

By Hope Mafaranga August 19, 2011

In Mbarara

Uganda has lost the fight against HIV/AIDS because of her satisfaction of the past successes.

Dorcas Amoding, the Advocacy and Communications Manager of Community Health and Information Network (CHAIN) said that the HIV situation is deteriorating in the country because the government has relaxed on the scourge hence losing the struggle against the pandemic. 

She discloses that 341 people still get infected with the virus in Uganda every day with HIV while many cannot get access to ARVs.

“Uganda was a model country in the world against the fight of HIV but its relaxation about the scourge has seen more than 340 get infected with the virus every day,” she said.

Addressing journalists on health community reporting Friday  at Lake View hotel, Amoding said that there is need for government to change its tactics and re- package messages about the pandemic.

Desmas Buregyeya, a journalist said that people have become comfortable with the availability of ARVs and they no longer look at HIV as a big problem.

“Many people now look at HIV as any other disease. They have given up the use of condom and other preventive measures saying that one can live with the virus as long as 40 years,” Buregyeya said.

Chris Mugasa another journalist asked men to embrace safe male circumcision in order to reduce the chances of contracting the deadly virus.

Leonard Okello, the country director of International HIV Alliance in Uganda, called upon the married couple to be open with each other and tested for HIV together to build trust in their marriage.

Anitah Masika, a journalist  said that despite the  intervention  of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV(PMTC), a number of women still affect their new born babies with HIV, which she attributed to lack of information of expectant mothers.

Sam Opwonya, a health consultant, blamed traditional birth attendants (TBAs) to have increased on the number of babies born with HIV.

“Some women deliver from TBAs and they are not trained and have no knowledge on HIV issues. They don’t even refer to mother to professionals so that incase the mother is HIV positive, her baby can be prevented from getting the virus,” Opwonya said.

End