BY KF KAYONGO: As Uganda is set to commemorate the international candle light Memorial Day on May 17th, stigma and discrimination of the people living with HIV and AIDS is still a major hindering factor to ending HIV by 2030.
Sarah Nakku the Country Community Mobilisation and Networking Adviser at UNAIDS, while speaking to journalists at the government owned media centre in Kampala on Tuesday, explained that from the start of the epidemic there was 41 million people dying of HIV which has reduced to 1.3 million people dying of AIDS related illnesses globally of which Uganda constitutes 17000 of those deaths.
Given the reduction in the numbers, Nakku said that HIV can be ended by 2030 within the remaining 6 years by helping people living with HIV who are not on treatment and they access treatment to end the epidemic by the desired period.
However, Nakku showed concern of the increasing stigma to the people living with the diseases and discrimination to the minority groups which hinders Uganda’s efforts to end HIV by 2030. She added that Uganda can not achieve its desired target if the issue of stigma and discrimination is not addressed.
Nakku also echoed the importance of adhering to treatment mostly among the young population and the adolescents as the magic bullet of ending HIV by the desire period.
The state minister for Kampala Metropolitan affairs Kabuye Kyofatogabye asked the men to spearhead the struggle to end HIV by 2030 saying that they have the upper hand in this war because they are economically empowered compared to the women.
Kyofatogabye rallied all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to mainstream HIV as a government policy in all their interventions. He applauded the ministry of finance for instructing all ministries, departments, Agencies and local governments to allocate 0.1 percent to handle HIV intervention.
Dr. Daniel Byamukama who heads the HIV prevention division at the Uganda Aids Commission called up individuals to participate in the efforts to end the disease by 2030.
“Today I don’t want to complain about the government and about money, to day we are calling upon individuals to stand in the way. We are making little progress and we risk defaulting on our national commitment to end HIV by 2030, because we are self sabotaging as a culture”. Byamukama stated.
Dr. Steven Watiti who has lived with HIV/AIDS for more that 35 years revealed that most of the people who fail on the treatment are because of stigma and of lack knowledge about the disease.
He also added that as Uganda commemorates the international candle light Memorial Day to remember the people who have died of AIDS we should remember that we can end the epidemic as well. He added that we can stop new infections by taking the medicine with good adherence to an undetectable viral load where they can not transmit the disease.
The Candlelight Memorial Day is to honor and remember those who have died from HIV/AIDS. Candle light vigil and ceremonies are often held to raise awareness and show support for those affected by the disease.