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  • Title: Against a sea of troubles: AIDS control in Uganda.
    Author: Magezi MG.
    Journal: World Health Forum; 1991; 12(3):302-6. PubMed ID: 1777019.
    Abstract:
    HIV infection has spread at an alarming rate in Uganda and is continuing to do so. Polygamy and other long-standing cultural practices on the one hand, and certain life-styles adopted under Western influence on the other, have done much to make the AIDS epidemic so severe. Women are potentially a force for confronting the situation, provided that they are made aware of their rights and empowered to take decisive action in education and other fields in defence of themselves, their children and, indeed, the whole of society. The government of Uganda began its anti-AIDS campaign in 1986. A year later with AIDS Support Organization opened its doors as the situation worsened. Today it provides counseling and health care services for AIDS patients and trains counselors. It operates support centers in 8 districts. Staff make home visits to AIDS patients who reside within 20 km of a support center. Women and children comprise the majority of patients. Even though changes in behavior could restrict AIDS, social, economic, and cultural obstacles exist. For example, in some areas of Uganda, society expects the brother of a decreased man to have sexual intercourse with the widow and to be responsible for her and her children. His life and that of his wife or wives are in danger if the brother died of AIDS. Community workers encourage people to engage in practices that do not spread AIDS. This program provides training on AIDS awareness and community mobilization, counseling by community members, medical services, educational materials, and promotion of income generating efforts. Even though the most effective way of preventing the spread of HIV when having sexual intercourse is using a condom, cultural reasons and cost hinder its use. Counselors find it difficult to discuss sexual relations let alone condoms. Further promotion of condoms is often interpreted as promotion of immoral behavior. These obstacles have not stopped the AIDS Support Organization from providing information on condoms and it has targeted traditional healers and tribal and religious leaders to help in this effort. Women play a major role in AIDS education. They need to be informed of their rights and empowered to exercise them to improve their status and that of their children. Indeed their empowerment would improve the whole of society.
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