RETHINKING HIV/AIDS PREVENTION STRATEGIES IN UGANDA

After capturing power in 1986, new solutions gave birth to new challenges. HIV/AIDS was perhaps using best “guerrilla” tactics as it got noticed killing people by surprise. That prompted government to set up a sector management in 1987 code-named Aids Control Program. It begun its work with the introduction of the ABC strategy.

The ABC strategy has now gone through a test of time. With "A" standing for abstinence, has been found misleading to the mainly adolescents. Molding adolescents to the value of abstinence has been rather a "time-bomb that would erupt anytime."

And having boycotted or missed important aspects of sex education, like its foregone realities and ultimate preventive means, a graduate of abstinence teaching will hardly use in case of an “eruption” or first sex encounter.

The Catholic Church, which had been known to be master of celibacy, itself, got stormed by allegations of child sex abuse -through homosexual tendencies. According to the wikipedia, these cases began surfacing in the 20th and 21st century. Therefore, their traditional practice (of celibacy), like abstinence, was proved a failure registered and greatly misleading.

"B" for being faithful to one's partner is another preventive strategy reasonably hard to pursue. It can be one day and time -when sex impulses electronically overtake one's state of conscience in absence of another "faithful" partner. And that could be heightened by some indigestible vices deemed destructive to good love relationships.

Most women in Uganda can confess that a man will never have one woman -whilst substantiating the view by illustrating the ratio of women to men as being so wide (about 7:1). It has really turned out to be natural -as in minds of most women that men will prey on several other women to contribute towards sustainability of human life on Earth.

And "C" for condom-use -when used correctly has been proven most useful. It is rather the promotional strategy that ought to be changed. For example, "be wise, use condoms" could be replaced by "be stupid by not using condoms" -followed by other fearsome statements and terrifying visual illustrations, accordingly.

Indeed, condom-use is the only savior that could be identified outside spiritual context. Condom-use can be very important in situations -where a person is terrified about engaging in explosive sexual intercourse (in first sex encounters), amidst such fears -as falling short of parent's expectations, personal goals and responsibilities, and when threatened by potentially negative sex outcomes -as contracting HIV/AIDS.

The culture of condom-use ought to be adopted and respected by all people -who are sexually active -including adolescents as young as eight to nine years. Like the communist China and a soldier at war, sexually active people should have a strong emotional attachement to them (condoms). They can be relied upon in periods before HIV testing.


Perhaps, as part of the the strategy, we could have another "C" for an end to corruption. Quite a number of media reports have show-cased individuals involved in misappropriation of global-fund money. And, in recent times, there has been complaints of huge money deductions from every donations made to developing countries.

HIV/AIDS governing bodies and funds medium organizations reportedly claim a percentage off charity money before eventually releasing it to their recipients. Such negatively affect the overall control and prevention outcomes over a given period of time: noting that non-government organization in a sector like HIV/AIDS fill several public health gaps for a healthier nation.

Again "A" for being active with the aim of developing one's talents and constructive hobbies as well as providing disruptive cues against toxic thoughts. This can be helpful at nurturing a person towards what he or she would begin to treasure most in life. With more energy left, the gym could help utilize it all and leave some only for walking back or soberly driving home.

As the ancient statement goes, "an idle mind is a devil's workshop," too much time for one-self -without creativity can be a big challenge in developing country. For the poorest person, finding a kind of relief or pleasure seeking is the biggest need that even supersedes judgement and known social standards of behavior. Keeping one's body and mind channeled to constructive ideas and activities would not only help reduce the amount of time for possible substance abuse but risky sex adventures -as well.

In conclusion, therefore, against HIV/AIDS in Uganda, we need to emphasize generation of great fear for HIV and create terrifying drama scenes, music, videos and testimonies about HIV/AIDS during condom promotions. At the same time, conduct blood tests for the married and cohabiting couples in or during the relationship phases of reuniting after separation and divorce, separation from a partner for up to three months on a trip -and suspicion of a sex partner being adulterous.

And condoms -being so important in HIV/AIDS prevention should be accessed easily to cope with the silent sex boom, such that in all public places -there are condom booths or dispensers to distribute them freely. Thereafter, we could probably have the speaker of parliament assign the likes of Nandala Mafabi the task of investigations all organizations charged with distribution of funds to qualified recipient organizations.

Jacob Waiswa
Situation Health Analyst
www.situationhealthanalysis.blogspot.com