Community responses, denials, resistance and imagination in the context of HIV in Mityana District, Uganda

5^th International Conference on HIV/AIDS, STDs and STIs

November 13-14, 2017 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Bwanika Charles

GCHI Uganda

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J AIDS Clin Res

Abstract :

Background: Uganda is one of the countries in the world most seriously affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic and thousands of people in the country have died of the disease. The overall antenatal prevalence rate by 2011 was estimated at 6.5 percent closely comparing with 6.1 percent in 2010 (Ministry of Health, 2012). Despite the registered declines which have been attributed to strong preventive measures including condom use, public awareness raising campaigns and behaviour change messages, these rates are still high by international standards with severe socio-economic and demographic impact at the national, community and household levels. Methods: A major route of transmission of the HIV infection has been identified as heterosexual intercourse contributing over 90 percent of the epidemic in Uganda. Sexual behaviour of high-risk groups, namely, adolescents, street children, drivers, barmaids and transactional sexual workers has frequently been blamed for the rapid spread of the epidemic. Results: The African AIDS epidemic is concentrated primarily in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa and most heavily affects adults of both sexes between the ages of 15-44. Poverty is one of the major contributors to the spread of AIDS. Of late, studies in Uganda and Kenya indicate that most HIV infections occur among adolescents aged 15�24 years. For example, in Kenya, this group constitutes 35 percent of all AIDS cases. The adolescents are at high risk of contracting AIDS because of sociocultural pressures, physical development and behavioural factors including early initiation into sexual activity and the risk was exacerbated by shortterm relationships, frequent partner changes, multiple partners, low rates of condom use and negative attitudes. Conclusions: In Africa and Uganda in particular there are still many myths about the deadly epidemic of HIV/AIDS before putting much efforts on the procurement of drugs (ARVs) Nevirapine, STI drugs, Sulfadoxine and Pyrimethamine being distributed to the health facilities the fact that 7.3% of Ugandans age 15-49 are HIV-positive. HIV prevalence is higher among women (8.3%) than among men (6.1%) emphasis should be directed at PMTCT Program, ABC Program through demonstrations, video shows and drama through thorough sensitizations about HIV/AIDS.