KAMPALA, 16 February 2011 (PlusNews): Civil society activists say Uganda’s presidential candidates have not placed sufficient emphasis on how they plan to tackle the HIV epidemic should they come into office, despite rising HIV prevalence (flere hiv-ramte) and major funding problems (hiv er den virus, der kan føre til aids i udbrud, red.).
Ugandans go to the polls Friday( 18.02.11). The incumbent (siddende præsident), Yoweri Museveni, won plaudits for his efforts against the pandemic in the 1980s and 1990s – prevalence (hiv-raten) dropped from 18 percent in 1992 to 6 percent in 2000.
But his government has been criticized recently for ineffective HIV prevention campaigns, the misuse of grants from the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and frequent antiretroviral (ARV) stock-outs (ARV er livsforlængende medicin til hiv-ramte, så de ikke får aids).
– The focus was not enough; I think candidates have general statements on health in their manifestos and little focus on HIV generally speaking, Ivan Kintu, communication and advocacy officer for the National Community of Women living with HIV in Uganda (NACWOLA).
He noted that during their campaigns and in their manifestos, all eight presidential candidates addressed HIV-related issues minimally, focusing instead on health more generally.
– Uganda’s response to HIV is faltering (på vej ned), and it is surprising and disappointing that more focus is not being placed on ending the AIDS crisis in Uganda, said Asia Russell from the US-based lobby group, Health Global Access Project (Health GAP).
Local civil society activists have lobbied all major political parties to commit to a “10-point platform” to fight HIV/AIDS, which includes commitments to fully fund the fight against HIV, increase the number of health workers and end corruption in the health sector.
– We want whoever comes into power to use the 10-point platform. I am sure if that is done there would be a big general improvement in health in Uganda, said Kintu
Some major political figures have heeded (efterkommet) the call.
At a recent rally in Arua, northwestern Uganda, the leading opposition figure, Kizza Besigye, addressed the issue of HIV directly after seeing AIDS activists in the crowd.
– I see we have been joined by people with a banner saying “No Drugs, No Votes” and who are calling for more action on the fight against AIDS, he said, adding:
– The political will on HIV of the current regime is finished; less than half of those who need HIV treatment have access. And those, who are on treatment, are due to the goodwill of the American taxpayer (Uganda er storaftager af midler fra det amerikanske PEPFAR-program, red.).
Besigye said if his party, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), came to power, at least 15 percent of the national budget would be spent on health.
– NRM (the ruling National Resistance Movement) shut down channels of HIV prevention over the years (a reference to prevention programmes that emphasized abstinence over condom use = seksuel afholdenhed i stedet for kondomer). We want comprehensive prevention, not only one method, Besigye stressed.
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