By Herbert Ssempogo

PLANS to prosecute persons suspected of deliberately spreading HIV/AIDS will be counter productive, a United Nations (UN) envoy has said.

“I want to emphasize the importance of creating a legal and social environment conducive for HIV prevention. Refrain from laws that criminalise the transmission of HIV and stigmatise people,” Elizabeth Mataka stated.

“These laws fuel the epidemic further, prevent cost-effective interventions and undermine an effective response to HIV.”

Mataka, the UN secretary general’s envoy on AIDS, made the remarks at a news conference at the Media Centre in Kampala yesterday.

A Bill concerning the spread of HIV/AIDS is in the offing. Drafted by the Uganda Law Reform Commission, the HIV/AIDS Bill will be presented to Parliament after the ongoing consultation.
Once enacted into law, anyone who knowingly transmits HIV to another person commits an offence and shall be liable to life imprisonment.

However, Mataka, who was here on a three-day fact-finding mission, insisted that the move would hamper voluntary counselling and testing.

Mataka disclosed that she had met civil society organisations and some religious leaders over the Bill.
“I am confident that they will come up with a Bill that gives the best response to HIV/AIDS,” she added.

On funding, she appealed to the Government and donor agencies to forge a bond that would ensure that more money is given to support various intervention strategies.

She pointed out that accountability and transparency were vital if the affected people were to receive the much-needed drugs.

Mataka described as a ‘real momentum’ to end the scourge the hundreds of people, who queued to have their sero-status ascertained on World AIDS Day.

UNAIDS country coordinator, Musa Bungudu, emphasized that the private sector had a central role in fight against the pandemic.