The Prime Minister Mr.Vincent Ochaya Orach speaking during the stakeholders dialogue meeting

By Prisca Oroma

Stigma and discrimination has been a challenge that most people living with HIV/AIDS have been facing and this has led to many dying silently.  

Speaking during a dialogue meeting at Satellite, Hon. Ochaya Vincent Orach the Prime Minster Alur Kingdom said that everyone deserves to live a dignified life whether HIV/AIDS positive or not because all have been affected whether directly or indirectly.

“it is bad that in Alur land people with HIV are given bad names which has killed many even before the disease” he said

He said that the most vulnerable are women because the men move out and they don’t care what happens to the women and the children and they suffer silently because if they come out they suffer a lot from discrimination and stigma.

He said that Alur kingdom through the Kura Matira project is helping fight stigma and discrimination and also encourage people who are positive to come out and disclose their status.

Scovia WiaJik a person living with HIV confessed that she lost her job because she disclosed her status and up to date she is still faced with stigma and discrimination because she is taking care of 5 children who are HIV/Positive

Evaline Namboze advocacy officer with NFOPHANU said that there are many drivers of HIV stigma which include lack of awareness in that people are unaware that their attitudes, words & actions are stigmatizing, moral judgement and lack of knowledge about HIV transmission and fear acquiring HIV through casual contact or medical procedures.

“therefore there is need for collective effort by all stakeholders to fight stigma and discrimination so that more people can come out to disclose their status” she said.