ELDERLY persons in Wakiso district have complained of difficulty in accessing HIV/AIDS health services. They said they look after grandchildren who lost their parents to the disease, some of them being HIV positive.

Luka Kahabi, a 60-year-old man living positively in Busabala, Wakiso district, is one of the elderly persons finding access to drugs a challenge.

“I was a father, now I am a grandfather. I lost my wife, I am frail, jobless and with a lot of orphans to look after. At 60, I cannot do much, yet access to HIV/AIDS drugs is a nightmare,” Kahabi said.

Statistics indicate that older persons in Uganda are providing care to over 50% of the 1.7million HIV/AIDS orphans.

Hajat Nuru, 70, a widow in Seguku, said she lives on hand-outs from well-wishers

“As we celebrate World AIDS Day, government should support us, the aged,” she said.

The theme for this year’s World AIDS Day is, ‘Universal access and human rights’. But the elderly said they seem not to be achieving this.

“The elderly in Uganda do not have access to HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention methods and care, yet it is our human right,” said Edith Bonabaana, the chairperson of the elderly in Kampala and Wakiso districts.

She said as Uganda marks the World AIDS Day; the Government should step up efforts to increase access to health services by the elderly.

The project officer of The Uganda Reach the Aged Association (URAA) in Kireka, Wakiso district, Kezia Mukasa, said each older person in Uganda is providing care to an average of three HIV/AIDS orphans.

“Despite carrying the burden, the older persons are not safe either,” said Agnes Nabisubi, the HIV focal person for URAA.

According to the 2005/2006 household survey report, there are at least 1.2 million persons aged 59 years and above in Uganda. Females account for 53%, while 47% are males.

In a survey conducted by URAA in Kasese, 64% of older persons reported being sexually active but 91% revealed that they had never used condoms in their lives, a factor that puts their lives at risk.