ADJUMANI, UGANDA: The Assistant district health officer [DHO]Adjumani Mr. Manga Godfrey has said members of Village health teams[VHTS] will never be stopped from carrying out HIV/AIDS activities’, since they are the authorized health service delivery points required by Ministry of Health at village levels.
Mr. Manga Godfrey held by all standards the services of the VHTs cannot be disregarded by any authority as they are mandated to provide basic health services at village level.
The Assistant DHO was today, December 7, 2021, responding to the demands by the leaders of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS Association[PLHA] in Adjumani district, during the World AIDS Day, which was celebrated on December 1, 2021, at Pakele sub-county headquarters.
Mr. Manga Godfrey however categorically rejected, the plea of the leaders of PLHAs on grounds that the cases sighted are isolated and can be handled administratively, while also admitting that confidentiality is vital in handling HIV/AIDS clients.
This year’s World AIDS DAY was celebrated under the theme; End Stigma, End AIDS, End pandemics. And speaker after speaker described the theme; as very appropriate.
The chairperson of the Young Adolescents’ Living with HIV/AIDS, Mr. Unzimai Hebert in his speech accused the VHTs of inflicting stigma in them that has led to major setbacks in disclosure of status of the adolescents’.
Unzimai Hebert said”. We no longer need the services of VHTs because they have proved a menace to us, do not use them to follow HIV/AIDS clients, instead use HIV/AIDS expert clients who are genuinely effective”.
He advised the young Adolescents’ to take the anti-retroviral[ART] accordingly to schedule to avoid reaching the second and third lines of treatment which is expensive since it will require one to travel routinely to Arua regional referral hospital.
Sabuni Alex, an expert client, who gave a very inspiring testimony said, he got HIV infections in 2007, but when he was enrolled on anti-retroviral after successful counselling, he maintained positive living and impacted on so many people who were infected before and after him.
The Adjumani district secretary for health Mr. Sabuni John, said ending HIV/AIDS pandemics starts with leaders and the onus is on the leaders to stop the spread of the virus.
Mr. Sabuni John called upon partners to massively support and educate HIV/AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children since education is the only means of redeeming their hope. Data obtained from the district health office shows that the HIV prevalence rate in Adjumani is 2.8%down from 2.9%, while the total number of HIV/AIDS clients enrolled on anti-retroviral[ART]since 2004 is 6.000, but to date the number has dwindled to half and about 1.000 are believed to be dead.
Do you have a story or an opinion to share? Email us on: [email protected] Or join the Daily Express WhatsApp channel for all the latest news and trends or join the Telegram Channel for the latest updates.
