AIDS IN UGANDA

Abstract

The village of Kasensero in southern Uganda has probably suffered more than any other in Africa and possibly the entire world from the ravages of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Since 1983 most likely 1/4 of the villages inhabitants have died of the village term for AIDS because the victims slowly waste away before they die. The survivors at least those of a sexually active age most likely also are carriers of the AIDS virus human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and most likely in another 4 years they also will be dead. A visit was made to this village in 1986 and again in 1987. Thus far there are no treatments and the people continue to die. In Gwanda the small town up the road from Kasensero a record book showed that in the 6 months since August 1986 just 37 of the 66 deaths had been ascribed to Slim averaging out at about 3 AIDS deaths a fortnight. This means that 1% of Gwandas 8000 population are dying of the disease in a year yet the death rate has dropped dramatically in the last year. Various explanations were offered for the reduction in the death rate but none seemed adequate. The epidemic of AIDS has reinforced the communitys inherent leaning towards fatalism and religiosity. Sexual activity is the principle source of infection in the area because nearly all recorded victims are either in the 16-45 sexually active age range or are the young children of infected parents. Yet fear and superstition continue in both Kasensero and Gwanda. Some insist that mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects were spreading the disease. Others identify a major headache problem in the area. Some believe that they suffer from chronic dysentery or from a long-untreated sexually transmitted disease and not from Slim. Misinformation is understandable given the wide range of physical symptoms that may be exhibited. Most of the victims showed the classic local symptoms of chronic diarrhea severe weight loss and stomach-ache. Some showed other symptoms like appetite loss swelling of the lymph glands and persistent coughing. Although disease has spread to most of the regions of Uganda the rates of infection elsewhere are not nearly as high as along the Kasensero-Kyotera-Masaka-Kampala axis. Compared to other African nations Ugandas attitude to its AIDS problem has been refreshingly open since Yoweri Museveni took power in January 1986. The Ministry of Health is focusing its efforts on educating the public about the risks of sex in an effort to limit the spread of the disease.