How can Africa eliminate the scourge of AIDS?

Uganda was one of the first countries in Africa to address the AIDS issue.  Not with medical tools, no drugs which are in limited supply, besides some painkillers.  Ugandans saw their neighbors, business associates, family members die by the thousands.  One billboard on Entebbe road into Kampala reads "AIDS does not discriminate," with blood dripping down, another "if you want to get it on, get with it and put it on, condoms."  People were in despair, the nations leadership was also dying, generals, cabinet ministers and members of parliament.  AIDS started with the rich and powerful and worked its way down to the poor.

A national crises was declared and a declaration of war was drawn up by President Museveni.  The people responded and no sector of society remained on the sidelines.  The churches, Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, Pentecostal and Baptist all became involved. The Islamic faith, the traditional healers joined forces and everyone spoke out to the people who were part of their respective congregations and groups.

Schools and Universities, Technical and Teachers Colleges addressed their classes, passed out literature and condoms.  The Public and Private sectors, from government offices to banks made people aware of the consequences of  indiscriminate sex. 

Radio stations such as Sanyo, Capital One and others began to do spot announcements about AIDS, the TV was filled with information.  Local artists made up songs and did AIDS concerts and songs.  Literally all of Ugandan society became involved. 

The government newspaper began to publish a special AIDS newspaper in its Thursday edition called "Straight Talk."  In it nothing was left to the imagination, sexual conduct, sexual practices were discussed in detail.  The safety of condoms, oral sex and how it too could pass on the AIDS virus. Each week a topic having to do with HIV transmission was discussed.  Children of all ages became aware of this terrible disease.  Just recently a new campaign was introduced in Uganda, "No Glove - No Love," one can see that the war against is far from over and that attempts are continuing to educate  the  people of Uganda regarding AIDS.

I was visiting a friend of mine and met his four year old son outside of the house.  He was looking at an old razor blade and said to me "don't touch it you will get AIDS."  A four year old knowing about the transmission of the virus, what can one say, but that the war on AIDS is working in Uganda.

People are still dying, and some choose to ignore the facts, but the campaign started by President Yoweri Museveni has worked and is working.  Medicine is still unavailable, some of the traditional healers offer concoctions that periodically seem to make a difference, yet most people with AIDS still die a painful death.

Western medicine is expensive and even the generic formulas will cost more then many people make in a year.  It is also felt by some that such medicines may give a false sense of security and cause people to return to former habits of indiscriminate sex.  Local anti-viral drugs are now being made at a much lower price under the supervision of an Indian Pharmaceutical company, but Western nations are objecting on the basis that the drugs are probably not as good as Western pharmaceutical companies products...hmm...another ruse to protect the big drug firms at the cost of African lives.

 The good news is that this war of information has worked and the latest figures show that  new infections are below 7% andthat figure shows that the re-education program is working.

All of this was accomplished without major Western help, without millions of dollars, simply using the tools available such as newspapers, TV, radio, people and groups from all walks of life and there is one other thing one must note.  In the process of all of this a miracle took place in Uganda.  The people who had AIDS were not rejected by society, were not cast out as in other parts of the world but were embraced.

On the way to where I used to live Kampala was a large church that had take in over 200 people with AIDS, housing them, feeding them and extending loving care.  That to me is the power of love at work.  That one church is just one example of the countless of places that accomplished things that elsewhere would be the role of government, but in Africa it was the village, the tribe, the clan, the family working together to make a difference...jon

Last updated: 01 September 2008