Complacency killing fight against HIV

In spite of the fact that James Muwanga, 16, lost both his parents to AIDS, he thinks HIV is a myth or just a fairy tale.

A Senior Four student of Heritage College in Kikoni-Bwayise, Muwanga argues that his parents could have died of any other disease not AIDS.

"I have not seen people dying of AIDS-related infections. They say people who have AIDS experience symptoms like fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and also slim away. But none of those signs manifested on my parents before they died eight years ago. I was seven years, fairly old enough" he reasons.

At just 16, Muwanga could probably be forgiven for being sceptical about the existence of HIV. But he is not alone. A number of young people especially those born in the 2000s after the spread of HIV had reduced think HIV is not a problem.

"Today, people living with HIV/AIDS don't manifest the symptoms that were obvious over 30 years ago. Many people living with HIV and AIDS are living positively with the virus. So, do not judge some body by his look, he could be having the HIV virus," warned Hellen Mirembe, health officer of Mota-Engil Engenharia the Kampala Northern Bypass contractor.

She was addressing student of Heritage College during commemoration of the European Day. EU and government of Uganda co-funds Mota-Engil.

Mirembe observed that the young generation has no cause to fear because they have not seen people dying of AIDS and have not seen those ugly pictures of AIDS, only hear the stories.

Complacency killing the HIV fight

"When AIDS symptoms disappear, the young generation becomes complacent; they have nothing to fear about. The increasing complacency is hindering HIV fight.

Students of Heritage College receiving reading materials. Photo by Elvis Basudde

The reduction over the years in the prevalence of HIV and the use of antiretroviral therapy that has led to the disappearance of the clinical AIDS among the population has made many people, especially the young generation; think that HIV is no longer a problem," she said.

This is coupled by the absence of scare crows - the very ugly signs and symptoms - that could scare people no longer happen.

Someone who is on ARVs looks more health and energetic than the one without the HIV virus.

Mirembe said that they are in partnership with schools which are operating within their project host communities along the Kampala Northern Bypass, and Heritage College is one of them. As part of celebration, they distributed visibility materials to students which included books, notebooks and pens.

On top of materials, using Family Rescue Initiatives-Uganda (FRI-U), an NGO sub-contracted by Mota-Engil to implement the social component, students also got information concerning HIV & AIDS, STI's, Gender, child protection, Occupational Safety and Health as well as Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH).

Angel Ntege, the young person living with HIV also talked to the students, cautioning them to take precaution to avoid contracting it.