Stigma And Discrimination Of People Living With Idv/Aids In Buny Aruguru County, Bushenyi District, Uganda

ABSTRACT The purpose of this research study was to The overall objective of this study was to examine whether people living with HIV/AIDS in Bunyaruguru county Bushenyi District are subject to discrimination and if so, what influence does it have on their possibilities to enjoy their human right to health. The objectives of the study were determine if the HIV/AIDS-positive people in Tororo District are discriminated in their closest social context, determine the ways in which HIV/AIDS-positive people in Tororo District are subject to discrimination; to determine ,1ow discrimination affect their possibilities to maintain a good health . The methods used for data collection were questionnaires to the HIV positive people. The findings indicate that many cases of discrimination have occurred in the health sector. However, despite this, many interviewees still had faith in the public health care system. They believed that the services in the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) and Ward 33 of the General Hospital were good, and that they were treated well. A few agreed that free health care provided by Government hospitals gave people who could not afford private health care access to treatment they would otherwise be denied. However, there was much consensus that awareness among health staff, in public and private hospitals, must be addressed. They brought up several instances where health staff including doctors, nurses, attendants and minor staff had discriminated against people living with HIV/AIDS and their families. The study recommended that MOH needs to deliver a strong message to all health care workers that people living with HIV/AIDS and their families are to be treated with respect and professionalism. This message should be backed up with training programmes for health care staff, new recruits and health administrators, at the national and regional levels