Dr Watiti reflects on decades-long battle with HIV in memoir

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KAMPALA - Dr Stephen Watiti has always been a man of great strength and determination.

He dedicated his life to helping others, first as a doctor and then as a researcher, seeking a cure for the HIV/AIDS pandemic that had ravaged his community for decades.

But despite his tireless efforts, Watiti has faced a fierce enemy in the virus. For over thirty years, he has battled HIV, fighting not just the disease itself, but also the stigma and discrimination that came with it.

Dr. Stephen Watiti, who authored the book Ageing Gracefully with HIV that was launched on Saturday at the Office of the President Auditorium in Kampala. (All Photos by Isaac Nuwagaba).

Watiti's journey began when he was working as a young doctor in 1986 soon after getting married to his lovely wife Naomi Watiti. At the time, HIV/AIDS was still a relatively new disease, and there was little understanding of how it spread or how to treat it.

Dr Watiti saw first-hand the devastating impact the virus had on his community. Entire families were being wiped out, leaving behind orphaned children and destitute widows.

The stigma surrounding the disease was intense, and many people believed that HIV/AIDS was a curse from God, or that it was a punishment for immoral behaviour.

“As a result of losing hope, I became a born-again Christian and it instilled in me everlasting hope. I learnt that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose,” Watiti said, quoting Romans 8:28.

KCCA Executive Director Dorothy Kisaka signs the dummy of the launched book as Dr Stephen Watiti and wife look on.

Speaking at the Office of the President Auditorium on Saturday, May 11, during the launch of his third book titled “Ageing Gracefully With HIV,” Watiti narrated how he started antiretrovirals (ARVs) after going down with Tuberculosis (TB), Kaposi’s sarcoma and cryptococcal meningitis at the same time.

“This was hell on earth for me but the quality of life has since improved and I believe that HIV though incurable can be manageable with the advent of ARVs and good social psychological support,” Watiti added.

Despite the challenges, Dr Watiti was determined to make a difference. He threw himself into his work, studying everything he could about the virus and its effects on the body.

“I worked tirelessly to educate my community about HIV/AIDS, dispelling myths and misconceptions, and doing my best to provide care and support to those affected by the disease.”

But Dr Watiti's efforts were not without challenges. He faced resistance from some community members, who believed that he was wasting his time and resources on a lost cause.

“Ever since I embarked on this fight, stigma and discrimination have been the biggest challenge of my life. I therefore challenge the young to engage this fight with humility and responsibility because I have managed to live three lives with it. I have turned 71 years since and I am now ageing gracefully with it,” he revealed.

Watiti’s resilience lauded

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) executive director, Dorothy Kisaka, while presiding over the book launch, commended Watiti for being brave, courageous, and authentic and being the minister of the truth in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

(L-R) KCCA Executive Director Dorothy Kisaka, Dr Stephen Watiti, and his wife Naomi Watiti cut cake during the launch.

“Watiti is very strong and I am the one who authored his will when he was not expecting to even live to age gracefully.

“Those who were the executors of his will died but he did not lose hope in life. He deeply cared about his last-born daughter, Deborah Watiti whom he wanted to see living, marrying and even getting children while he battled HIV,” she said.

Dr Watiti was born on May 11, 1953, and he became a born-again Christian in 1972 while studying in S.1 at Nabumali High School in Mbale district.

Ageing Gracefully with HIV is a deep and relevant meditation on navigating the terrain between thriving as a person living with HIV and boldly living true to oneself.

In his book, Watiti shares how his decision to live with his diagnosis openly has improved both his mental and physical health living a full life up to the age of 71.

Dr Watiti is a renowned clinician, counsellor, writer and public speaker on HIV/AIDS and public health.