Uganda: Why Do People Behave As If HIV Has Got a Cure?

allAfrica
Original Article:  bit.ly/1CX5bXS

Lately, it has become common to hear people speak casually of sexual escapades as if they are unaware of HIV/Aids that nearly wiped out our society.

Such talk is a reflection of high rates of complacency and negligence in our society, which only promotes this disease.

Many people live in optimism that they will not contract HIV but do not care to factor in other behaviour that predisposes them to catching the virus. This thinking is oblivious of the fact that over 1.7 million Ugandans are living with HIV and we have the highest prevalence, of 7.4 per cent of people between the ages of 15 and 49 years.

So, how about we all wake up and make this our agenda: taking a test to know one’s HIV status, sticking to one sexual partner faithfully, using condoms correctly and consistently and abstaining for those who are not of age or in genuine relationships?

With these practices, we will be saving our lives and avoiding the high cost of treating just one Ugandan on antiretroviral drugs. The Aids Support Organisation (Taso) spends about Shs 1.8m per person living with HIV under its care per year and yet these expensive medicines do not kill the virus.

Full text of article available at link below:  bit.ly/1CX5bXS