Movement of fishermen spreading HIV - official

Nov 08, 2009

THE movement of fishermen from one landing site to another has frustrated the Government’s efforts to fight the spread of HIV among fishing communities, an official has said.

By Abou Kisige

THE movement of fishermen from one landing site to another has frustrated the Government’s efforts to fight the spread of HIV among fishing communities, an official has said.

“Fishermen living with HIV/AIDS move in search of greener pastures. Such movement patterns have hampered their adherence to anti-retrovirals (ARVs),” Rashid Muyingo, a councillor with The Aids Support Organisation (TASO) Entebbe, said.

“It is not possible for TASO councillors to make home visits to such families because annually, fishermen can settle on three different landing sites, which makes ARV monitoring impossible,” Muyingo told participants at an HIV/AIDS sensitisation campaign for fish-mongers at Nakiwogo landing site in Entebbe on Saturday.

The campaign was sponsored by Barclays Bank, Kitoro branch, in conjunction with TASO Entebbe.

The groups distributed condoms to the fishermen.

Muyingo noted that the fishermen have also shunned the use of condoms, saying they are an inconvenience and many do not know to use them.

He advised the fishing community to test and establish their sero status.

The Barclays community leader, Irene Ategeka, said: “We intend to scale up the HIV prevention campaigns among adolescents and shall rollout similar messages to landing sites along the lake.”

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