Homosexuality Is Not A Disease Nor A Germ, It is An Oxymoron That Is Misplaced
The Observer, a Ugandan Daily, on June 27, 2018 started off with a statement "One of the risk factors exposing people to HIV in Ugandan prisons is homosexuality between inmates and staff, the prisons boss has said."
The way this term is used, it depicts it as a germ capable of causing HIV. Used in this style it is an oxymoron and redundant. However, one should look at the real cause of HIV. Among those who identify or practice same sex sexual relations, it is the unprotected rubbing or insertion of genitals and an exchange of fluids takes place. It is this fluid that, if it contains the HIV virus, is passed from an infected person and acquired by such a partner who may not have it. HIV can be prevented and those living with it if they can get medication do live longer. Uganda was a vanguard in Africa when it had a policy of openness to HIV prevention, care and programming. This helped get many people on medication.
The way this term is used, it depicts it as a germ capable of causing HIV. Used in this style it is an oxymoron and redundant. However, one should look at the real cause of HIV. Among those who identify or practice same sex sexual relations, it is the unprotected rubbing or insertion of genitals and an exchange of fluids takes place. It is this fluid that, if it contains the HIV virus, is passed from an infected person and acquired by such a partner who may not have it. HIV can be prevented and those living with it if they can get medication do live longer. Uganda was a vanguard in Africa when it had a policy of openness to HIV prevention, care and programming. This helped get many people on medication.
Uganda has a programme under the patronage of President Yoweri Museveni. It is known as the Presidential Fast-Track Initiative (PFTI) whose objective is ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat in Uganda by 2030.
According to WHO, "President of Uganda H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni launched 'The Presidential Fast-track Initiative on ending HIV&AIDS in Uganda by 2030.' This is the first such initiative in Africa and the entire world. Anchored in 'A Presidential Handbook', the initiative spells out plans to tackle HIV &AIDS in Uganda through a five point plan to; Engage men in HIV prevention and close the tap on new infections particularly among adolescent girls and young women; Accelerate implementation of Test and Treat and attainment of 90-90-90 targets particularly among men and young people; Consolidate progress on eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV; Ensure financial sustainability for the HIV response; and Ensuring institutional effectiveness for a well-coordinated multi-sectoral response."
According to different sources, the President is quoted as having remarked that "research has shown that once you are on treatment, there is a reduced chance of spreading the HIV infection." He reiterated this message during a high level meeting on AIDS organised by UNAIDS and Co-hosted by Uganda in 2017. He said that “Your Excellences, I have been interacting with our experts from the Ministry of Health, UNAIDS and other health partners about HIV transmission and prevention. Using lessons from our own experience in Uganda, we are now convinced that it is possible to eliminate HIV/AIDS in its totality. As part of this commitment, we agreed on ambitious global and national Fast Track targets for ending AIDS,” the President said, adding “We are in a better position because we now clearly know its mode of transmission, availability of anti-retroviral therapy with an improved outcome and advanced research that has been able to answer most questions." This is corroborated using scientific data too.
Two sources WHO and Uganda AIDS Commission give statistics that prove the president right. These sources show that given its insistence on treatment "over the years, Uganda has made progress in the fight against HIV. The country has registered significant reductions in new infections from 135,000 in 2010 to approximately 60,000 by 2016, in men and women. Further to this, new infections among children dropped from 26,000 in 2010 to 4000 in 2016. Of the 1.4 million people living with HIV, 1,041,000 people are enrolled in care and 980,954 on antiretroviral therapy."According to the Uganda Aids Commission, the country has registered some successes in the fight against HIV/AIDS. In 2011, there are140,000 HIV Infections, which had dropped to 100,000 by 2017. While mother to children transmission has reduced from 280,000 cases in 2011 to 3,000 in 2017.
In fighting HIV, Let us agree to change our lexicon from nebulous sounding attributions to those we can use to eradicate HIV. If this is the goal, our language must be such that it empowers us to focus on eradicating HIV.
For more read:
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| A presidential HandBook detailing PFTI |
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| Depiction of HIV in the blood stream |
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