In
order to understand what health is like in Uganda, it is important to get a
sense of current events. What is happening in Uganda? How does this contribute
to the overall picture of Ugandan health?
I did a Netvibes Search and found 10 interesting articles:
Sexual and Gender Based Violence
This
article reveals how the Ugandan government inadequately addresses sexual and
gender based violence. Many women, especially those living in war torn
territories, are voiceless victims of this violence. Last year, almost 20% of
Ugandan women reported that their first sexual encounter was against their
will. This statistic highlights the brutal reality of the issue.
Women
in rural, war-affected territories are more likely to suffer a violent attack
because there are limited police officers to patrol the region. Some officers
are even perpetrators of these attacks. This injustice is perpetuated by the
harsh recognition of corruption within the judicial system. An active and dedicated judicial system is required
to overcome this issue, but the Ugandan government has failed to reach
successful reductions in sexual and gender-based violence. Consequently, many women
are left voiceless and hopeless in their search for justice.
This
traumatizing revelation is worsened by the fact that sexual and gender based
violence seems to be normalized in some communities. Under a twenty-year
insurgency led by Joseph Kony, the LRA abused the women of northern Uganda on a
daily basis. When guns ceased to fire in 2005, there was hope for restoration.
This restoration is yet to be reached as women continue to suffer
victimizations.
Here are some
troubling facts:
- Minister Ronald Kibuule says that women who are indecently dressed should be blamed for their rape. Furthermore, officers should prosecute women victims rather than the rapists.
- In 2011: 7, 690 girls were defiled, 520 women raped and 251 women were murdered.
Anti Homosexuality Bill
The
Ugandan parliament passed an anti-homosexuality bill that called for the
lifetime imprisonment of homosexuals. Politicians and policy makers frequently
voice the idea that gays are “abnormal” and should cease to exist. These
harshly prejudiced ideas are forcing the gay community underground, causing a
possible setback in the fight against AIDS. If homosexuals are not acknowledged
and given appropriate care, they will be a neglected group of society prone to
sickness and disease.
Fortunately,
there has been Ugandan outrage and backlash against this anti-homosexuality
bill. This backlash has surpassed Ugandan borders as Kenyans recently wore
rainbow wigs and masks to protest the anti-homosexuality bill in Uganda. This
activism successfully convinced Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni to reject the
bill. However, rejection of the bill does not mean that the Ugandan president
approves of homosexuality. While he believes homosexuals have a right to exist,
he also brands them as “sick genetic freaks”. According to Museveni, lesbians
are victims of “sexual starvation” because of their failure to find a man. This highlights the
critical need for more activism in terms of securing gay rights and challenging
stigmatized perceptions of the homosexual community.
Agriculture &
Environment
Developing
countries, such as Uganda, have suffered wars, droughts, and other causes of
famine. Fortunately, the Green Revolution enabled developing countries to
import cheaper grains and grow high-yield seed varieties. Without this revolution, crop yields would be
23.5 % lower while food prices would be between 35-66% higher. These realities
are crippling in the developing world, causing an 8% increase in malnourished
children. A chain effect would open the door to increased child mortalities and
susceptibility to disease.
However, there is a current need for
further improvements. The improvements made by the Green Revolution cannot
effectively address “rising population
and loss of productivity brought on by ecological disruptions such as
environmental degradation and frequent droughts”. The only solution to combat
these environmental changes is an increase in biotechnology tools. Increased
biotechnology tools will enable farmers to grow higher crop yields with higher
nutritional content. In addition, the crops will retain the ability to
withstand harsh environment conditions (biological and physical stresses).
HIV
In the 1980s and 90s, Uganda
was praised for its successful attack on HIV. President Yoweri Museveni was one of the first African leaders
to speak openly about AIDS in order the address the issue. He launched
government run public awareness campaigns that ultimately reduced the HIV rate
from double to single digits.
However,
complacency surrounding the issue caused the prevalence rate to increase from
6.4 to 7.3 % in 2011. This reignited the flame of activism in the battle
against HIV. As a result, the Ugandan government plans to double its
expenditure on anti-retroviral drugs (ARV), costing about 120 million dollars
per year. This policy will enable 1.3 million people, compared to 600,000
people, to receive free ARVs. In
addition, doctors will focus on early detection and treatment in order to
reduce overall community viral loads. Early detection and treatment is a
continuation of successful US Center for Disease Control (CDC) projects
implemented in Uganda. This will ultimately lead to successful improvements in
“surveillance, laboratory and
emergency response systems”.
Fortunately,
the government and health professionals are not the only people involved in the
HIV reduction movement. In Kampala, Uganda’s capital, army troops have been
celebrating national army week with a public health drive that distributes
condoms and conducts free circumcisions. Both condoms and circumcision have
proven to reduce the risk of contracting HIV.
Child Mortality
Unicef, the UN’s children
fund reported that Uganda is ranked 39th out of 194 countries with
the worst under-five mortality ratio. This translates into one child death
before age 5 for every 14 children born in Uganda. In order to effectively
address child mortality in Uganda, health professionals must subdue poor
nutrition, low birth weight, and HIV (190,000 children infected).
Although these numbers are
depressing, the availability of data brings hope to the cause. Proper research
can help professionals identify which children are most neglected and where
disease is most rampant. Further research will only increase the opportunities
for placement of properly tailored programs in the right areas. Since the Convention on the Rights of the
Child (1989) was signed, Uganda has made improvements on reducing child mortalities.
This is to increased immunizations, water and sanitation, and education. The
hope is that research furthers these improvements over time.
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