New Vision columnist for 17 years, and longtime HIV activist, Dr Steven Watiti, celebrated his 70^th birthday on Saturday, May 13.

Of these, he has lived with HIV for 24 years since 1999 when he first discovered he had contracted the virus.

Dr Watiti used the occasion to also commemorate 17 years of marriage with his sweetheart, Naume Watiti, in a colourful ceremony at Silver Springs Hotel. The occasion was marked by songs of praise, speeches and ululations from ardent enthusiasts.

Watiti, who is described by many as an icon in Uganda's fight against HIV, said that couldn't find words adequate enough to thank God for making him reach 70 years, given what he has gone through in his lifetime.

“I thank God for my life. Some people ageing with HIV tend to get cold feet and start panicking. You need not worry, you can still live a healthy life with HIV and have a long productive life ahead of you,” he said.

But, he warned, one must adopt a different lifestyle to delay the onset of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This is by adhering to improvements in the effectiveness of treatment with HIV medicine, called antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Dr Stephen Watiti with his wife Naume arrive for the thanksgiving at Silver Spring Hotel in Kampala. Photos by Ramadhan Abbey

This is what some Ugandans aged 60 and older like Maj. Rubaramira Ruranga, among others, who are celebrated to have lived a healthy life with the virus longest, have used- ART, on top of other interventions.

Dr Watiti later told New Vision that he has lived two lives in one. The first life was when he had no HIV up to almost 35 years and the second, with HIV and even AIDS.

“It has been the grace of God, to be honest, that I have lived long with HIV. Being a doctor for over 20 years now, while treating people with HIV, I noticed earlier that people who got opportunistic infections like cancer, TB, which I suffered five times, and Cryptococcosis, etc., ended up with a deplorable quality of life. So, medically speaking, it is really a miracle to see that I am what I am,” said Watiti.

Living longer

At the start of the epidemic, more than 40 years ago, people could expect to live only 1-2 years after diagnosis. But today, people with HIV who are diagnosed early in their infection, and who get and stay on ART, can keep the virus suppressed and live long and healthy lives.

He added that his life is a statement that medicine does work if you take it with good adherence, positive living, good feeding, enough rest and avoiding reckless leisure habits that strain the body like alcohol and smoking.

Watiti lost his wife to AIDS in 1994. He married again and he's lived with his wife for 17 years.

New Vision editor-in-chief, Barbara Kaija, hailed Dr Watiti for giving HIV and AIDS a face which in turn gave very many people who were living in denial, hope and the will to live. She said Watiti is a unique and compassionate professional to talk to, without being judged.

“You accepted to be vulnerable, you opened up your life to educate and encourage the nation. Your educative column in New Vision became the most authentic source of information on HIV and AIDS for the public,” she said.

Dr Watiti’s weekly column in New Vision, named Face HIV with Dr Watiti, is published every Monday in the Health segment of the newspaper. He has also published a book, HIV and AIDS: 100 commonly asked questions, from the column archives.

Kaija said Watiti’s questions are both national and global resources that provide accurate and practical advice on HIV and AIDS. She baptised him “Apostle Dr Watiti,” whose definition is a vigorous and pioneering advocate or supporter of a particular policy, idea or cause.

Daughter Deborah Waititi (centre) got teary while she gave a glowing tribute to her parents.

“I applaud Dr Watiti’s consistency and strong brain. It is not easy to write consistently for 17 years. As Editor-in-Chief, very many people came to me and said they wanted a weekly column but many of them do not go beyond the first month,” she said.

She stressed that God spared Watiti to strengthen his people during the dark times when pastors, teachers, prophets and shepherds of His people were lost in solution. Kaija also called upon Dr Watiti to start writing a column for New Vision dubbed "Ageing gracefully with HIV/AIDS”.

Watiti lionized

Sam Sakwa, an old boy of Nabumali High School, which Watiti attended, described Watiti with four attributes; consistent, dependable, compassionate and resilient.

Sakwa said Dr Watiti spent some years out of school due to a lack of school fees, but he still pursued and became a doctor, which is a sign of resilience. Also, the fact that he remarried after losing his first wife to AIDS.

Dr Emmanuel Luyirika, who was Dr Watiti’s supervisor at Mildmay Uganda, described him as a staunch Christian and humorous man who values life.

Luyirika said that during the Covid-19 period, Dr Watiti would go out of his way and drive to a patient’s home to deliver medicine.

Guests join in with arms raised as a pastor blessed Dr Stephen Waititi’s family in prayer.

Dr Nelson Musoba, the director general of the Uganda AIDS Commission, praised Watiti, saying he is exceptionally knowledgeable and was often consulted by the Commission because of his expertise in the area of HIV and AIDS.  

“He is also a generous and selfless man in terms of sharing what he knows, sharing knowledge through his weekly column in the New Vision paper. He deserves to be decorated as an honorary professor, he is an authority in the world when it comes to HIV and AIDS,” said Musoba.

George Bamugemereire, the former Deputy Inspector General of Government, said Dr Watiti is a multi-talented person who, without feeling ashamed, publicly disclosed his HIV-positive status as a way of de-stigmatising the condition among Ugandans.

Prof. Ezra Suruma, Chancellor of Makerere University, said “When I see you, Dr Watiti, I see what the Lord has done.”

The children led by Deborah Watiti, thanked God for keeping their parents safe. They described the parents, especially their mother Naume, as a prayer warrior.

“I thank God for keeping my father who almost died many years ago. I thank Mum in a special way for keeping my daddy, they do things together,” Deborah said.

COMING IN SUNDAY VISION: Dr Watiti narrates his 70-year journey