Lord Norman Fowler, a leading British politician known for his work on the global HIV response, has commended the work being carried out by people living with HIV in their communities.
Lord Norman Fowler, a leading British politician known for his work on the global HIV response, has commended the work being carried out by people living with HIV in their communities.
Lord Norman Fowler, patron of the British HIV Association and the Terrence Higgins Trust, made the comments while visiting HIV community prevention projects carried out by Nyimbwa Multipurpose Organisation of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NYIMPHAS) in Luwero, Uganda.
Lord Fowler visited a widow who is now taking care of 12 orphans, two of whom are HIV positive. He also visited Jonan secondary school, which has offered 20 scholarships to Nyimbwa for teenagers that are HIV positive.
The British dignitary said he was happy to note the difference being made by groups of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the lives of communities.
Lord Fowler said: “I congratulate you on what has been achieved. This is a remarkable demonstration of what communities can do. You are setting the pace on what can be done, not just in Uganda but Africa and the world over.
“The difference with AIDS then and now is that, then there were no drugs [antiretrovirals], but now there are drugs. There is also a very important issue of tackling stigma and discrimination and the fact that we should not discriminate against people living with HIV.”
With only four full time staff and 28 volunteers, NYIMPHAS, which is supported by the Community Health Alliance Uganda (CHAU), has managed to do a commendable job on prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) outreach and other HIV and AIDS related activities.
Abdalla Zziwa, the in-charge of NYIMPHAS, said the group strives to “increase the mobilization, awareness and demand for PMTCT (services), family planning and antenatal services, and this is also geared towards (achieving) zero new infections from HIV, especially among newborns.”
He added: “Since we partnered with Alliance Uganda…35,612 people have been mobilised and provided with education for awareness on PMTCT, HIV/AIDS, ANC [antenatal], condom use, male circumcision and TB, as well as increasing HIV counselling and testing in the community.”
He observed that antiretroviral adherence is also high among the community they serve and this has helped to prolong the lives of people living with HIV.
NYIMPHAS is now working with 11 other PLHIV groups across Uganda, namely Bajjo, Bagayo, Bukeeka, Kisule, Nyimbwa, Asiika Obulamu, Nsawo, Bombo Hope, Bombo women, Butanza and Wobulenzi. The group has also trained volunteers who work as outreach workers known as Network Support Agents who link their groups and other community members to health facilities.
The health facilities that have been accommodating to the HIV groups include Nyimbwa HC IV, Kikoma HC III, Nakatonya HC III, Bombo military hospital, Bombo town council HC III, Ndejje University HC III, Bukalasa HC III and Sambwe HC II.
Lord Fowler was a member of Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet in Britain from 1979 to 1990. Between 1986 to 1987 as health secretary he ran the high profile Don’t die of ignorance campaign on HIV and was responsible for introducing the first clean needles exchanges for injecting drug users in the UK. After leaving the Conservative front bench he has been a trustee of the Terrence Higgins Trust (where he is now patron), an advocate for the National Aids Trust, and a Vice-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV and AIDS. In 2012 he was made the first patron of the British HIV Association.
CHAU is a linking organisation of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance.
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