EDITORIAL: Let's mark AIDS Day with voluntary testing Print E-mail
Editorial
Written by Editorial   
Sunday, 29 November 2009 21:14

As the world marks World AIDS Day this Tuesday, we are reminded that HIV/AIDS remains the deadly pandemic it was more than 25 years when it was identified.

Improvements in its management brought about by the introduction of anti-retroviral therapy must not blind us to the reality of the devastation that HIV/AIDS brings.

The first step towards guarding against HIV infection or living positively if one is found to be infected is voluntary testing and counseling. It does not pay to hide one’s head in the sand like an ostrich, believing there is no storm. We should not pride in living in the dark.

The beauty of knowing your HIV status is that it gives you ample time to make responsible choices about your health and family. Besides, unless the government is equipped with the right data as to how many people are infected and affected, it is very difficult to plan for medicine and other needs.

It is even better to test as a couple. Recent research indicates that a lot of infection is going on among married people. To stem this, couples must not only be faithful or use protection, but also test from time to time to avoid getting infected or infecting their partners.

For instance, there is the phenomenon of discordance in sexual relationships- where one partner may have HIV but the other is negative.  Unless the couple gets to know about this, which can only happen after testing, there is a chance that the negative person will sooner or later get infected. Yet if they had tested together, preventive measures such as having protected sex would have been taken to prevent infection.

Knowing one’s status is also very critical for women intending to get pregnant, as well as breast feeding mothers. There is widespread mother-to-child transmission, which could have been prevented if the woman’s sero status was known. Many children have been infected as a result of their parents not caring to find out their HIV status, and this needs to stop.

As we commemorate World AIDS Day, let our political, religious and cultural leaders take the lead in demystifying voluntary HIV testing. It will help save many lives.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Comments (1)add comment
The Link between Bride Price and HIV / AIDS
written by Glyn Turner , November 30, 2009

Sex is a major component of Bride Price. Under customary law, the man purchases the unlimited sexual services of the woman.

Perhaps to call married women, sex slaves, would be rather extreme but certainly the power associated with the payment of bride price is tangible and particularly in the marital bed.

The payment of bride price can be compared to the purchase of a woman. After the deal has been done, then she is mine and within no reason I can do with her what I want. Sex is at my convenience. Another child even if a risk to the wife's health, well it is my right.

I have paid the price and thus should expect all the benefits. The power is mine as the man.

This harmful cultural practice has been linked to many problems including early marriages, domestic violence, limited girl child education, unwanted widow inheritance and others but the topic for today is the most deadly consequence of bride price, that being HIV and AIDS.

The power associated with bride wealth should not be underestimated. Dr Anthony Okoth, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Mulago Hospital says 'Bride Price makes marriages irreversible including conjugal rights which is a very dangerous situation and these can be exploited'.

Men have more say on sexual relations when bride price has been paid. Women brought up in this power imbalance also believe this to be their role. The wife cannot challenge the status quo even if she knows (or suspects) that the husband is HIV positive.

Polygamy has been identified as one of the high-risk practices that perpetuate HIV transmission. Thus women are likely to find themselves hooked to risky relationships, in which their power to control their bodies is expressly denied by tradition. Do these women enjoy the right to decide when and how many children to have?

In Botswana, it has been reported that one woman was severely beaten, and suffered rape when she suggested condom use, which saw the man retorting:’ I paid lobola (bride price) in full, and no cow was deducted to compensate for the use of condoms ‘

It is well known that bride wealth causes early marriage of the girl child. Often this is by wealthy, experienced, sometimes HIV positive men.

Early marriage of course means early involvement in sexual intercourse. The vaginal lining in a young girl is still thin and therefore prone to trauma during sex which makes the young girl more prone to HIV.

In ground-breaking research entitled 'Bride-Price, Poverty and Domestic Violence in Uganda' by Professor Gill Hague and Dr. Ravi Thiara it was confirmed that Bride Price has strong links to HIV.

The research showed that 61% of those interviewed felt that bride price had mainly negative effects. The research highlighted that the increased spread of HIV/AIDS in villages was through widow inheritance and the parents of a girl were more interested in a good bride price rather than protecting her health.

The founder of Kadama widows association, Mary Mosinghi, says if a woman didn't think she was paid for she would have the confidence to question some of the things she has in the relationship and stand up for her rights'.

Sadly, if you are reading this, you are likely to be better educated, earning more than $1 a day and have more power than the poor rural woman largely affected by bride price. We have a duty to speak out against cultural practices that aggravate HIV / AIDS

Glyn Turner is founding Director of MIFUMI
an NGO Protecting women and children from violence and abuse.
www.mifumi.org




Write comment
smaller | bigger
 

busy
< Prev   Next >
 
Follow The Observer on Twitter
Uganda Music Videos: Juliana, Iryn, Blu3, Desire Luzinda, Bebe Cool, Rachel Kay, Bobi Wine, Judith Babirye, Ragga Dee, Chameleone, Ngoni, Grace, Priscilla, Mesach Semakula, Shanah, Jaqee, Phina Mugerwa, Iron Man, Krukid, Bataka Squad, Da Twinz, Henry Tigan, Baby Joe, Anna Nyakana, Zani, Wilson Bugembe, Radio & Weasel, Bella, Omulangira Ssuuna, Lou Bega, Breeze, Dorothy Bukirwa, Abdul Mulaasi, William Kibuuka, Willy Mukabya, Tshilla, Sweet Kid, Kid Fox, Prossy Patra, Prisca, Cindy Sanyu, Toolman, Kingdom Dancers, George Okudi, African Children's Choir, Dennis Rakla, Shamim, Maureen Nantume, Sylvia Namugenyi, Mariam Ndagire, Sister Slave, City Limit Crew, Viva Stars, Dream Galz, Obsessions, Toniks, Dr. Tee, Dr. Hilderman, Afrigo and all the rest...

Columnists

Leisure & Humour

In a rather natural, sleek and bully fashion, the Mighty Cranes once again trounced Angola 3-0 at Namboole stadium in the opening fixture of 2012 ACN qualifiers.

Perspectives

Business

Sizzling

Education

Sports