Welcome to December a months of joy! December is a Joyful month on the Gregorian Calendar as most People across the globe celebrate the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ in what is basically known as the Christmas festival.
As its a saying in England:”Even an innocent soul has a negative side,” Also; ”A bad beginning makes a good ending.” The two great philosophical words have got a strong message for us in this new month. December is not only the month of joy but also of learning from our past negatives to better. Today 1st December,the International Countries of the world celebrate the World Aids Day(WAD) which may seem a bad beginning in the eyes of the many. Assuredly, I say to you;”A bad beginning makes a good ending.”
The Global theme of Today’s WAD is: Right to Health while at home in Uganda;”Reaching men,girls and young women to reduce new HIV infection” was chosen as the theme of the Day. World Aids Day National celebrations in Uganda were conducted in Kole District-Northern Uganda with President Museveni as the Chief Guest. The Global theme aims at advocating for right to health for all HIV/AIDS patients without any discrimination imposed onto them as well as providing them with great care because they are human beings like any other persons.https://theparrots08.blogspot.com
While taking a preview on Uganda’s theme, one statement caught my eyes.“Male participation vital in creating the required impact on closing the tap on new HIV infections among girls and women.” indeed, male participation is vital in the campaign against HIV/AIDS not only in Uganda but also the world as a whole.Most men have the anxiety of going for HIV test and few of them are aware of their Health status. Others after finding out that they’re HIV positive resort to committing Suicide,desisting from taking ARVs and other drugs as prescribed by the Health workers and infecting the innocent souls. If men are not involved in the campaign to tap new HIV infections,HIV/AIDS will remain a threat to world lives.
Ugandan President H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in June 2017, launched the Presidential Fast Track to Ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat in Uganda by 2030. WAD theme aims at maintaining the president’s strategy as all stakeholders work in hands to reach men,girls and young women to reduce new HIV infection.
According to the Uganda Population based HIV Impact Association-UPHIA reports,Uganda has made a stride in National HIV response with its prevalence from 7.3%(2011) to 6% in 2017 with a reduction in the number of infections from 99,000 in 2010 to 52,000 in 2016.
However, findings both from the data base and from the public indicates that the biggest number of girls and women who are HIV positive are infected by men. Merciless men go for un protected sex with their dear ones and end up infecting them. Furthermore, most men do not share their health status with their wives,girlfriends which puts their lives at higher risks of acquiring HIV/AIDS virus.
Reduction of new HIV infection in Uganda requires male participation through creating awareness to men on the dangers of HIV,sensitizing them on the need to carry out HIV tests as well as involving them in the campaign to reduce HIV infection. Unlike Females who can easily be mobilized and counselled in hospitals,places of worship and in their women leagues, Mobilization of men is quite hectic as one has to target them in their malwa pot groups in Vilabos, farms among others.
When mobilized and sensitized successfully,males can easily influence their colleagues to take part in the campaign making it possible to reduce new HIV infection even to Zero in Uganda. ”An intelligent man who cannot participate in the campaign to reduce HIV infection in his society is as good as a corpse.” Akida Leonard remarked.
Men need to give a worm welcome to this campaign and participate for a free AIDS generation in their societies by leading exemplary and carry candles for others to see the good impacts of advocating for a reduction on HIV infection.
As earlier stated in the first para, Welcome to December a month of joy. No more sorrows,its no longer a bad beginning but a good ending.
Its a lyric in Uganda’s musician late Philly B Lutaaya,”Today its me,Tomorrow its Somebody else……….Lets come together to fight AIDS.”https://theparrots08.blogspot.com
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