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Elderly Need Services on HIV/AIDS
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Africa.com
October 13, 2011
Uganda
Elderly persons
living with HIV/Aids have been left out when it comes to programmes
that address the issues concerning the disease and yet many of these
people are still sexually active.
The programme officer at Health Alert Uganda, Mr December Walter
Anywar, says elderly persons are not aware that programmes are
on-going. He adds that old women have been raped and have contracted
HIV/Aids but when it comes to counselling sessions, they are not
focused on. "These people are the most vulnerable. On top of that, they
are also left with the burden of taking care of the orphans as many
have lost their children," he says.
The elderly are just like the rest of the community. This means a good
number are in multiple relationships, but when it comes to seeking
medical attention, they shun the services. Some do this for fear of
being stigmatised, while others have no information to seek redress in
voluntary counselling and testing.
Anywar says organisations that deal with HIV/Aids issues tend to focus
on the middle aged persons, but programmes should be designed to give
elderly people information on HIV/Aids. Ms Buladina Obwona, a member of
Gulu Elders Association, says many elderly people who have HIV/Aids,
have been abandoned by their relatives and those who are not have been
left with the task of taking care of children who have HIV/Aids.
"Many have leaking shelters, no food with this high cost of living and
when it rains, their medicine gets spoilt, which also affects them when
it comes to drug adherence," she says. This group of people needs to be
catered for. The HIV/ Aids prevalence rate in Gulu District has reduced
to eight per cent from over 12 per cent last year. The national Aids
prevalence rate stands at 6 per cent.
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