A health worker has said that the rate at which HIV is affecting people in Rutete Sub County, Kabarole,Western Uganda is “alarming” - and that poverty is to blame for people’s risky behaviours.
Sister Tuhaise Mary of the Opportunistic Infection ARV Clinic at Nkuruba Health Center disclosed that in a month she receives over 300 HIV positive people. She says the number of new infection is “increasing day and night”.
She attributes the causes of the increase to poverty, adding: “People are recklessly living, thinking they will get ARVs to help them. Others are more interested in money so they even engage in unprotected sex. This is very dangerous and has led to these new infections.”
Febron Kembabazi, an enrolled nurse at Rutete Health Center III, says in a month the health unit gets over 280 positive living people and also attributes the cause to poverty.
Kembabazi said: “We have a tea plantation here and it employs very many people. Their lifestyle is a major concern because whenever they get money it is drinking alcohol and sex, this exposes many to unprotected sex, which increases HIV/AIDS spread in the area.”
“The people also are poor so they engage in commercial sex to earn a living and end up being infected,” she added.
But Moses Ikagobya, the Vice Chairperson and Secretary for Health in Kabarole, observes the need for people to have “self-discipline, self-respect and devotion” so as to “eradicate poverty”.
He said: “All you need is self-discipline and respect. If you respect yourself you will not live recklessly like this, and also if you commit yourself to work and eradicate poverty you will earn money and stop engaging in commercial sex.”
Richard Rwabuhinga, the Kabarole district chairperson, observed the need for health workers to have preventive approaches and to sensitize people in schools, churches and other places so as to prevent HIV.
“Health workers – you should embark on sensitizing the masses on the preventive approaches in every place. This is not a joking matter we need to put in a lot of effort,” Rwabuhinga said.
He challenged religious leaders to also “put up a fight” against HIV through sermons in church. Rwabuhinga challenged residents to “live more responsibly and protect themselves against HIV”, which in turn is a major contributor to poverty and death.
