Traditional healers join HIV/AIDS fight

By Betty Amamukirori

Hundreds of traditional healers across Uganda, today (November 18) thronged Hotel African to dialogue on how they can help in curbing the upsurge of HIV/AIDS infection among adolescent girls.

During the dialogue, they agreed to stop fleecing money from unsuspecting and desperate AIDS patients by lying to them that they have the cure.

They showed enthusiasm in learning more about HIV/AIDS, its causes, transmission and prevention. This was seen through the numerous questions directed to the invited guests concerning HIV.

Kabona Jumba, a traditional healer from Mukono district addressing fellow participants during a dialogue on prevention of HIV/AIDS among female adolescents at hotel Africana.  Seated beside him is his entourage on 18/11/2015. Photo by Betty Amamukirori

Through their umbrella non-government organization Uganda Neddagala N’obuwangwa Bwaffe (UNNB) which is under the stewardship of Sofia Namutebi alias Mama Fiina, the healers pledged to take HIV/AIDS sensitization to the shrines.

Elizabeth Birungi an official from PROMETRA (Promotion of Traditional Medicine) a non-state organization that advocates for the promotion and preservation of traditional medicine, said that they as herbalists are ready to take part in the prevention of AIDS infection among the young girls.

Some of the traditional healers fom Mukono who attended the dialogue at Hotel African Wednesday. Photo/ Betty Amamukiror

She said that if HIV/AIDS is to be defeated, traditional healers should be left to play a center role in the creation of awareness in the communities since they are easily approachable and have a good customer clientele.

“We are the best channel through which AIDS can be defeated because we are trusted and looked upon by the community.
Above that we are also enthusiastic to conduct HIV/AIDS educational programs within our communities,” she said.

Christine Ayella, a traditional healer from Gulu said that she is going to start incorporating guidance and counseling to AIDS patients and also provide referral services to the patients.

The healers however, are asking government for more training on HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention and they want to be allowed to partner with hospitals to offer referral services.

They also asked for testing kits to be availed to them such that they can subject each of their clients to an HIV test.

The traditional healer’s dialogue on HIV/AIDS prevention among the adolescent girls and young people in the Central and Eastern regions of Uganda was organized by mama Fiina in partnership with UNAID.

Meanwhile, the chairman Uganda AIDS Commission, Prof. Vinand Nantulya and the country director UNAIDS, Musa Bundugu, asked the healers to lead by example through subjecting themselves first to an HIV test before preaching the gospel to the clients.

Nantulya asked the healers to also champion the fight against archaic traditional norms of widow inheritance and child marriages in order to stop the upsurge of HIV among young girls.

“Desist from forcing children into early marriages and widow inheritance. These traditional norms put people at a high risk of contracting HIV,” he said.

Dr. Carol Nakkazi, a community health consultant with Uganda AIDS Commission asked the healers to stop lying to patients that they have a cure for AIDS but instead should counsel and refer them to hospitals.

She also asked them to stop using the same sharp blades on all patients and warned them against having sex intercourse with their clients under the pretext of cleansing them.

The 2014 UNAIDS report on the status of AIDS among adolescent girls and young people in Eastern and Southern Africa revealed that 570 girls between the ages of 15-24 get infected weekly in Uganda.