AIDS patients decry stigma at Mulago, Uganda
The Monitor, 28 March 2005
[Mods note: This report suggests that HIV stigma in care settings may continue to be especially resilient. Alleged comments made by an MP in Uganda last month – that some people with HIV and on ARVs should be 'left to die' (reported in The Monitor, Kampala, 8 March 2005) confirm that there are ongoing challenges in the fight against HIV stigma.]
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KAMPALA -- MOTHERS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS under the Maama Club have accused Mulago Hospital of discriminating infected women during labour. The AIDS Support Organisation (Taso) Clients' Manager, Ms Ruth Anteiveik, said doctors and nurses were mistreating pregnant women infected with AIDS.
She was speaking at the Maama's Club meeting at Mulago on Friday. "These women are roughly handled and given less care. This has caused loss of lives to many of them and their babies," Anteiveik said. The club's chairperson, Ms Fatumah Namata, said infected mothers need more attention to avoid mother to child AIDS transmission.
"We need special doctors who won't cause us stigma. Those at Mulago should be sensitised on this problem," Namata said.
Mulago Hospital head of clients, Dr Agnes Nyamayalwo, blamed the government for not solving problems of understaffing in the hospital. The Club founder, Dr Lydia Mungerera, encouraged the public to go for voluntary counselling and testing to plan their future.
Mothers received aid from the Project Coordinator for the Youth and Aid Association, Dr Paula Nahamya. The donations included basins, jerrycans, foodstuff and clothes.
Kampala Woman MP, Ms Margaret Zziwa, attended the meeting. She appealed to the government to secure an HIV/AIDS fund to support fieldwork and support AIDS victims.
Source: Stigma-AIDS eForum, stigma-aids@eforums.healthdev.org
[Mods note: This report suggests that HIV stigma in care settings may continue to be especially resilient. Alleged comments made by an MP in Uganda last month – that some people with HIV and on ARVs should be 'left to die' (reported in The Monitor, Kampala, 8 March 2005) confirm that there are ongoing challenges in the fight against HIV stigma.]
*************
KAMPALA -- MOTHERS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS under the Maama Club have accused Mulago Hospital of discriminating infected women during labour. The AIDS Support Organisation (Taso) Clients' Manager, Ms Ruth Anteiveik, said doctors and nurses were mistreating pregnant women infected with AIDS.
She was speaking at the Maama's Club meeting at Mulago on Friday. "These women are roughly handled and given less care. This has caused loss of lives to many of them and their babies," Anteiveik said. The club's chairperson, Ms Fatumah Namata, said infected mothers need more attention to avoid mother to child AIDS transmission.
"We need special doctors who won't cause us stigma. Those at Mulago should be sensitised on this problem," Namata said.
Mulago Hospital head of clients, Dr Agnes Nyamayalwo, blamed the government for not solving problems of understaffing in the hospital. The Club founder, Dr Lydia Mungerera, encouraged the public to go for voluntary counselling and testing to plan their future.
Mothers received aid from the Project Coordinator for the Youth and Aid Association, Dr Paula Nahamya. The donations included basins, jerrycans, foodstuff and clothes.
Kampala Woman MP, Ms Margaret Zziwa, attended the meeting. She appealed to the government to secure an HIV/AIDS fund to support fieldwork and support AIDS victims.
Source: Stigma-AIDS eForum, stigma-aids@eforums.healthdev.org
posted by AIDS-Care-Watch at 11:12 pm
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