Know your status and keep safe- KCCA staff told

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) employees have been advised to check and know their status and that of their partners in order to curb the spread of the virus.

Dr. Stephen Watiti an HIV/AIDS activist, while addressing over 1,000 KCCA workers, told them that they should also go for others medical checks up like hepatitis B, breast cancer and prostate cancer adding that these are deadly diseases.

"Do not say that you are too busy to go for a checkup. Do not demand that they need to seek your permission, it is for the safety of your life, Watiti told the workers during the Health awareness camp.

He said there are some non-communicable diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and cancers that also need to be checked before it is too late.

He said that stigma in work places has affected lives of many people especially those in the offices, saying that the reasons they should check is to reduce on new infection.

There were 50,000 new HIV infections in Uganda in 2017, mainly among adolescents and young people, women and girls, and key populations.

Watiti warned the employees that HIV/AIDS is a very aggressive virus which produces rapidly, easy to stop but complex. He warned the young employees not to keep quiet in case of any incidents of rape in office advising that this can save their lives if they test and get treatment in time.

Addressing her  colleagues, KCCA executive director Jennifer Musisi said that the company has policies which they operate up on, adding that the workers who come out to declare their status are given specials attention.

The company makes sure that they are given special treatment, adding that there is stigma and people fear to come up to speak about their status.

Musisi urged them to ensure that they test their children as well, as a way of protecting them. She told the workers to work to ensure that they do not break down when they do not know their health status.

"We have given them the opportunity to take care of their bodies by putting up a fitness room in the office and they will give no excuse of falling sick. She added that the purpose of the week was to ensure that they get safety tips before it is too late.