Kiyemba Ronald
Kitanda Community-based Organization/Healthcare, Uganda
Title: Poverty increased the spread of HIV/AIDS and others in Uganda
Biography
Biography: Kiyemba Ronald
Abstract
In Uganda, research made in 2016 show that 1.4 million people live with HIV and other related UTI. 52000 people get infected newly. 28,000 die of HIV/AIDS and other related illness. Research has shown that HIV is one of the important outcomes of poverty in Uganda having more than 35% of Ugandans living below poverty line of 1US$ daily. As a result of this, people especially women indulge into risky behaviour such as commercial sex which can provide them with basic survival resources for themselves and their dependents. Commonest behaviour that has increased the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections include: Cultural poverty that results in forced teenage marriages by their parents for material gain. Women do commercial sexual transaction to raise basic needs and most of them being widows left alone with children who need feeding, hospital bills etc. House helps being seduced by their bosses, employers demanding for sex in exchange for jobs. Institution bosses abusing young less privileged girls for sex in exchange for admissions and also teachers demanding for sex in exchange for marks Muslim culture of polygamy which has increased the risk of multiple cross infections. Much as information through health education and counseling about the risks has reached the poor, it sometimes seems irrelevant given the reality of their poor standards of living. Therefore, luck of incentive resources has made it difficult for the poor communities to adapt to the recommend behaviour. Government should provide employment opportunities within the communities, restrictions should be put on alcohol and observed within the local communities, health and education care.