Cultures fuelled HIV spread â€" Museveni
Jun 05, 2005
The rampant HIV/AIDS infections in sub-Saharan Africa is due to strong attachment to tradition, culture and religion, President Yoweri Museveni has said.
By Joel Ogwang
and Henry Mukasa
the rampant HIV/AIDS infections in sub-Saharan Africa is due to strong attachment to tradition, culture and religion, President Yoweri Museveni has said.
He said Uganda had to battle with traditions like circumcision and wife inheritance, which had aggravated HIV/AIDS infection.
“Whereas we do not outlaw circumcision, we have advised our people to totally desist from sharing knives. Each person must provide for his own knife during the operation,†Museveni said.
He said this in a speech read by Vice-President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya at the 15th general assembly of the Association of Member Episcopal Conference of central and East Africa (AMECEA) at Colline Hotel in Mukono on Saturday.
The conference under the theme “Responding to the challenges of HIV/AIDS in AMECEA region†attracted archbishops and bishops from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Malawi, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Uganda.
He said sub-Saharan Africa is the world’s most affected area with an estimated 25.4 million people living with HIV/AIDS and about 3.1 million new infections by 2004.
He said the country’s success stemmed from the committed and a sustained political will, early intervention and a multi-sectoral approach in fighting the AIDS pandemic. He called for more action to stimulate community, national and international response to the needs of the orphans.
Ends
and Henry Mukasa
the rampant HIV/AIDS infections in sub-Saharan Africa is due to strong attachment to tradition, culture and religion, President Yoweri Museveni has said.
He said Uganda had to battle with traditions like circumcision and wife inheritance, which had aggravated HIV/AIDS infection.
“Whereas we do not outlaw circumcision, we have advised our people to totally desist from sharing knives. Each person must provide for his own knife during the operation,†Museveni said.
He said this in a speech read by Vice-President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya at the 15th general assembly of the Association of Member Episcopal Conference of central and East Africa (AMECEA) at Colline Hotel in Mukono on Saturday.
The conference under the theme “Responding to the challenges of HIV/AIDS in AMECEA region†attracted archbishops and bishops from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Malawi, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Uganda.
He said sub-Saharan Africa is the world’s most affected area with an estimated 25.4 million people living with HIV/AIDS and about 3.1 million new infections by 2004.
He said the country’s success stemmed from the committed and a sustained political will, early intervention and a multi-sectoral approach in fighting the AIDS pandemic. He called for more action to stimulate community, national and international response to the needs of the orphans.
Ends