‘Put condoms in public places’ - Minister
May 21, 2007
THE Minister of state for Health Primary Care, Dr. Emmanuel Otaala, has called for distribution of more condoms in public places to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.
By Gladys Kalibbala
THE Minister of state for Health Primary Care, Dr. Emmanuel Otaala, has called for distribution of more condoms in public places to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.
“As we renew our commitment to support HIV vaccine research, let’s try to save people’s lives who cannot abstain by making condoms available in all public places. It is wrong for some people to think it is immoral to use a condom when it can save life.â€
The minister was officiating at the celebrations to mark the International HIV Vaccine Day Awareness at Muzinga Park in Entebbe on Friday. He called for more sensitisation on HIV and encouraged the infected people to use Anti-retroviral drugs.
Otaala said about 200,000 people in the country should be on ARV treatment compared to the 90,000 who are now accessing the free drug.
He explained that 110,000 people do not receive the drugs for mainly two reasons. “Half of this number are suffering from TB so they cannot get on this treatment while the other half is not sensitised enough to come for tests.â€
He attributed the increasing cases of HIV infection to the reckless behaviour of some infected people.
The minister also hailed the volunteers in the HIV vaccine and called upon more to join the campaign. The celebrations were organised by the Uganda Virus Research Institute.
THE Minister of state for Health Primary Care, Dr. Emmanuel Otaala, has called for distribution of more condoms in public places to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.
“As we renew our commitment to support HIV vaccine research, let’s try to save people’s lives who cannot abstain by making condoms available in all public places. It is wrong for some people to think it is immoral to use a condom when it can save life.â€
The minister was officiating at the celebrations to mark the International HIV Vaccine Day Awareness at Muzinga Park in Entebbe on Friday. He called for more sensitisation on HIV and encouraged the infected people to use Anti-retroviral drugs.
Otaala said about 200,000 people in the country should be on ARV treatment compared to the 90,000 who are now accessing the free drug.
He explained that 110,000 people do not receive the drugs for mainly two reasons. “Half of this number are suffering from TB so they cannot get on this treatment while the other half is not sensitised enough to come for tests.â€
He attributed the increasing cases of HIV infection to the reckless behaviour of some infected people.
The minister also hailed the volunteers in the HIV vaccine and called upon more to join the campaign. The celebrations were organised by the Uganda Virus Research Institute.