For all those whom I knew
Those I’m yet to know
For those who are left behind
Lets all take care!
It’s been a whole year since this last post my thoughts remain the same so no harm in repeating, but still the struggle continues with statistics such as this the battle is far from won
International Statistics
People living with HIV:
- 33 million people living with HIV worldwide
- 30.8 million adults
- 15.5 million women
- 2.0 million children under 15
New HIV cases in 2007:
- 2.7 million total new cases
- 2.3 million adults
- 370,000 children under 15
HIV-related deaths in 2007:
- 2.0 million total deaths
All figures from UNAIDS.
More on World AIDS Day 2008
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Mountainous 
thank you because this message cannot grow old. We must care and do all we can to prevent more infections.
I have always had a problem getting a grip on those statistics. To me it is more the life stories that make me really care. Maybe these numbers mean more to others?
You know what the really worrying thing is – that this disease is high amongst married couples. Worrying because that is probably the last place you think to use protection- husband/wife trust and all that and yet wapi. The disease gets both parents and then whatHIV/AIDS highest among marrieds
Borrowed,
Monday, 1st December, 2008
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By Mary Karugaba
and Fred Ouma
ABOUT 77% of HIV/AIDS infected persons in Uganda are married, health officials have said.
According to Uganda AIDS Control Programme manager, Dr. Zainab Akol, there are 1.1 million Ugandans infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. This means that 737,000 couples live with the virus.
Akol attributed the trend to laxity in testing before marriage, having multiple sexual partners and reduced use of condoms. She explained that any suggestion to use condoms by one of the partner usually breeds suspicion of promiscuity by the other.
“Most of these people are either entering marriage infected or they are engaging in extra-marital affairs. This is why everyone should know his/her status by testing for HIV/AIDS.”
She added: “Many think they have been married for over 20 years, it is all safe and they don’t care about testing. Some think that if one of the spouses is negative, they too are negative. Yet consistent exposure among discordant couples increases the chance of the other getting infected.”
In a brief to Parliament on the World AIDS Day yesterday, the chairman of the parliamentary committee on HIV/AIDS, Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye, said about 63% of marrieds who acquired new infections had an HIV-negative spouse. This indicates that the infection is not acquired from the spouse but from an extra marital sexual partner, he said. About 130,000 new infections are occurring in Uganda every year.
I care too… I have lots to say on the subject, but for now let me say that.
The biggest worry for me is Fatigue… I think people have gotten an overload of statistics and stories of HIV… I know people who are so tired of hearing the messages they have just blocked it out.. The challenge is finding innovative ways of keeping the message relevant and meaningful..I have relatives who are infected, which makes me care, but at the same time, I care more deeply about prevention, that is why I hope we get a new way of passing the message.
Again as 3 TOC says, AIDS within marriage is I think the scariest thing especially for women as they have no control over their sexuality.. Even though this days even women are increasingly becoming unfaithful. Again its happening lets deal with it…
Another issue is religious leaders, am mightily pissed off by the fact that they prefer to hide behind the bible and ignore the fact that bible or not, kids as young as 10 to 12 are having sex. Lets deal with that reality and not what we think should be.. Lets talk to our kids. Thumping chests, pulpits and bibles will not make kids stop having sex… We are not ostriches so lets not behave like them.
Thank you Kirima for giving me your space to rant…
Yes lets all take care and keep the hope alive and the promise too.
3TOC is right. in fact if you’ve been watching TV and reading the [papers lately, there have been adverts cautioning married men against “maneno ya kando kando”. It’s very scary to imagine that someone you love and trust would be that careless to sleep around without protection and bring HIV into the matrimonial bed.
HnH is also right, I don’t know if the message is getting across fully, coz at some point people begin to block it out of their minds.
Be safe people.
i care too, the only way to fight the disaster is to get tested to know your status and then keep the promise of STOPPING its spread.
@ Gish, I try and remind myself everytime how trully lucky I am and not to get too comfortable with it.
@Rafiki, Actually the only statistic that should bother you is one – You! Trying your odds with the statistics is just like Russian Roulette. Despite that the numbers are always cause to shake the head.
@3TOC, Thanks for posting that here! The national AIDS council has been running a press campaign on that same issue saying that more than half of all new infections are within the supposedly hallowed grounds of marriage. For a long time singles have been held in high suspicion and hence the natural caution when engaging in extramarital liasions with singles, Kumbe the risk is closer to home so to speak.
@ Savvy, Caring is more important than talk its good.
@HnH, Message overload is definately an issue here at work WAD was always marked with alot of activities, messages, lectures etc. but nowadays apart from wearing the obligatory Red Ribbon people seem to have tired of the same message over and over. Lakini I still get shocked at some of the behaviour I still see around especially with the older folk who should know better. So I think it’s not lack of knowledge its attitude that needs to change.
@Nakeel, Hope is what keeps me going always, I’ll keep safe.
@Archer, Someone has to keep hamaring the message in even if people choose to block it out.
@Mboiz, Thanks for caring, I agree on the testing its always a pain but it helps.
pia mimi najali jo, kupata hiyo ugonjwa sio joke..we’re either affected or infected.
I care too n thats why I cut down on pet cats. Its scary that its spreading more among the married. For those on random tasting, dont forget ya rain coats n gumboats
do you care enough to blog yaani I am bouncing like a nonsense here! Happy new year 🙂
dude……………….update.
Eeh, update or else…
You stopped blogging?
lets take care of the babies, all of them, born and unborn.