Concern over young girls and women dropping from HIV care programs undermines efforts Kampala, Uganda | PATRICIA AKANKWATSA | Despite significant strides in HIV treatment availability, a silent enemy lurks within communities -stigma. A recent surge in HIV infections in Uganda, particularly in areas like Mbarara, is linked to missed Antiretroviral …
Read More »Abortion-associated stigma affecting access to Post-Abortion Care – MOH
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | While the government has put in place medical care services to support mothers who need post-abortion care in all healthcare centers, the Ministry of Health reveals that many of them still die due to complications without seeking help. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, …
Read More »Teenage mother’s tale of overcoming depression, stigma to resume studies
Kitgum, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Jessica Avol 19, counts herself lucky among teenage mothers to be back at school, thanks to talk therapy sessions that saw her fighting depression and stigma. In 2019, Avol who was 17 years dropped out of school while in senior two at Kitgum Standard Secondary …
Read More »WHO renames monkeypox as “mpox” to avoid stigma
Geneva, Switzerland | Xinhua | To avoid racist stereotypes and stigmatization, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended on Monday that the monkeypox virus be renamed “mpox.” Both names — mpox and monkeypox — will be used simultaneously for one year while the latter is phased out, the WHO said in a …
Read More »TASO embarks on campaign to combat HIV stigma in schools
Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Aids Support Organization-TASO in Masaka has rolled out a school-based HIV counseling program to create a safe environment for adolescents and protection of HIV-positive learners. Fiona Nakimera, a counselor at TASO Masaka center says the concern of stigma in schools coupled with the negative …
Read More »Global health advocates decry stigma on girls living with disabilities
Women and girls living with disabilities face three times greater risk of sexual abuse Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | Rampant discrimination and stigma meted on adolescent girls living with physical impairments required concerted effort to eradicate, international health advocates said on Tuesday. The advocates said in a statement issued in the …
Read More »Covid-19 survivors decry stigmatization
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Irene Namayanja is a Covid-19 survivor. The mother of two and businesswoman says that life has never been the same ever since she was diagnosed with the virus even after her full recovery. According to Namayanja, most of the people she used to interact with …
Read More »Stigmatization hindering Covid-19 home based care treatment in Gulu city
Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Residents of Gulu city are on spot for stigmatizing COVID-19 patients undergoing home-based care treatment. The latest report from Gulu District Health Office indicates that a total of 419 COVID-19 patients are undergoing home-based care, while 37 and 14 are in severer condition at St. …
Read More »Muntu tasked to combat HIV stigma once elected
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Young people living with HIV/AIDs in Lango asked ANT presidential candidate Mugisha Muntu to consider formulating and strengthening the anti-stigma policies against HIV/AIDs clients once elected president. Anti-stigma policies are customized guidelines put in place to reduce stigma. This includes types of behaviours that are …
Read More »Social stigma prompts discreet discharge of COVID-19 patients in Gulu
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Gulu Regional Referral Hospital on Saturday discreetly discharged 30 patients who have recovered from coronavirus disease – COVID-19. Earlier this week, 27 others were discharged bringing to 275 cumulative recoveries from the facility since May. The individuals who included Gulu based journalists were flagged off …
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