A section of people living with HIV/AIDs have asked MPs to come to their rescue over the reported practice of labour export companies discriminating against HIV patients.
HIV patients say the archaic practice has left many of them unemployed.
While appearing before Parliament’s Committee on HIV/AIDS and Other Related Matters to discuss the HIV prevalence in Uganda, Salome Atim, a member of the National Forum of People Living with HIV/AIDS Networks Uganda, said there is need for sensitization around stigma HIV patients face, citing an example of one MP who asked why HIV positive students should be allowed to study alongside students who are HIV Negative.
Atim said education is a right, and no one should be denied education or a job because of their HIV status.
“I think it is time Parliament asked those people who recruit and export people for jobs why they exclude people living with HIV….Many of us in our homes screen our helpers for HIV but we forget to screen a husband and brothers which is a problem,” Atim said.
According to UNAIDS, Uganda has 1.4million people living with HIV and of these, 1.2million are on treatment and the prevalence stands at 6.8%.
Among young people aged 15-24 years, HIV prevalence is 2.8%. estimates indicate that 53,000 people were newly infected with HIV in 2021 and of these, 5,700 were children aged 0-14years and 48,000 adults aged 15 years and older.
