Rubaramira wants HIV/AIDS Bill shelved
Mar 15, 2011
RETIRED Major Rubaramira Ruranga who has lived with HIV/AIDS for the last 27 years has cautioned Parliament against making a punitive law on the epidemic.
By JOSEPHINE MASERUKA
and HENRY SSEKANJAKO
RETIRED Major Rubaramira Ruranga who has lived with HIV/AIDS for the last 27 years has cautioned Parliament against making a punitive law on the epidemic.
“What Ugandans want is a law that will help in the epidemic, not a punitive one which will destroy all the gains the country has made,†he said.
He made the remarks at a regional stakeholders’ consultative meeting at Protea Hotel, Kampala last Friday.
The meeting, organised by the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), was aimed at reviewing the draft Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS Bill 2010, which may be passed within the next 40 days.
It was attended by human rights activists, representatives of civil society organisations, people living with HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS and officials from the justice and health ministries.
Rubaramira wants the criminalising clauses in the Bill removed.
“There can never be a normal person who would try to kill or poison any other. Such suspected persons should be examined for psychotic disorders.
This Bill could cause these disorders if passed in its form,†Rubaramira said.
“There are adequate provisions in the Penal Code on transmitting infections.
Gonorrhea has existed for generations. How many people have been charged or imprisoned for infecting others?†he asked.
Rubaramira, who said he would never die of HIV/AIDS because of his sufficient knowledge on the disease, called for more sensitisation of the public on the epidemic.
The Bill aims at providing for a legal framework to prevent and control HIV and to reduce its transmission by creating offences for willful and intentional transmission.
Participants said if it was proved that someone willfully spread the disease, they must be charged under the Penal Code.
People living with HIV/AIDS said the law did not represent the people and should be shelved.
Civil society organisations want the name of the Bill to be changed to HIV management Bill with more emphasis on prevention and support programmes.
and HENRY SSEKANJAKO
RETIRED Major Rubaramira Ruranga who has lived with HIV/AIDS for the last 27 years has cautioned Parliament against making a punitive law on the epidemic.
“What Ugandans want is a law that will help in the epidemic, not a punitive one which will destroy all the gains the country has made,†he said.
He made the remarks at a regional stakeholders’ consultative meeting at Protea Hotel, Kampala last Friday.
The meeting, organised by the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), was aimed at reviewing the draft Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS Bill 2010, which may be passed within the next 40 days.
It was attended by human rights activists, representatives of civil society organisations, people living with HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS and officials from the justice and health ministries.
Rubaramira wants the criminalising clauses in the Bill removed.
“There can never be a normal person who would try to kill or poison any other. Such suspected persons should be examined for psychotic disorders.
This Bill could cause these disorders if passed in its form,†Rubaramira said.
“There are adequate provisions in the Penal Code on transmitting infections.
Gonorrhea has existed for generations. How many people have been charged or imprisoned for infecting others?†he asked.
Rubaramira, who said he would never die of HIV/AIDS because of his sufficient knowledge on the disease, called for more sensitisation of the public on the epidemic.
The Bill aims at providing for a legal framework to prevent and control HIV and to reduce its transmission by creating offences for willful and intentional transmission.
Participants said if it was proved that someone willfully spread the disease, they must be charged under the Penal Code.
People living with HIV/AIDS said the law did not represent the people and should be shelved.
Civil society organisations want the name of the Bill to be changed to HIV management Bill with more emphasis on prevention and support programmes.