Stigma will drive people with

By Barbara Bitangaro Dr Samuel Okware, the Commissioner Community Services (community health) has castigated doctors who have called for the labelling of people with HIV so as to prevent further spread of the disease. In an interview in Kampala recently, Okware said if people with HIV/AIDS were discriminated against they would not cooperate in the fight against AIDS. “They would see it as the infected versus those not infected and would not cooperate. So there would be no way to contain the epidemic,” he said. He referred to Dr C. Sezi’s opinion at a recent health workshop in Kampala as unfortunate individual opinion. “Our policies have been of no discrimination or stigmatisation. People with HIV are not the problem. They are part of the solution,” he said. “In some communities in the world, as much as 35% of the adult population is infected. We cannot just keep them out,” he said, adding that testing them today does not mean that they will remain HIV negative. The cost of the test is also so expensive. Okware noted that the test was 99.9% accurate and even if 15 million people were tested, as many as 100,000 can be falsely condemned. The renowned doctor said those against the sick must look at their current contribution in their homes and communities. “Their brain is still being used for development and if you discriminate them you will drive them underground,” said Okware. “Even if you put them on an island or prison, they will still infect others. It is only in sexual offences like rape that they should be put away, he said adding that, “we know how the disease is transmitted we just have to make sure we arm people with the knowledge.” The role of doctors, Okware said was not to stop death, but to improve longevity. “People should not be scared of death. It is a natural process and besides there are other diseases more deadly than HIV/AIDS like lassa fever and other haemorrhagic fevers, Okware said. “If we add fear to the already disenchanted, they will not cooperate. Let us not be moved by fear and emotion,” the doctor said. He noted that the constitution guarantees HIV positive people individual freedom and human rights, adding that nobody should be denied facilities on the basis of being HIV positive. “Re-awakening of stigma can cause chaos,” he warned. ends