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Kelly Nance
AP Language
16 December 2016
HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Uganda
In a country full of economical and political issues, one problem rises above the rest.
Uganda has one of the largest ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemics in the world. As of 2015, 1.5
million people are living with HIV in this area, with 28,000 AIDS related deaths and 83,000 new
HIV infections (HIV and AIDS in Uganda 1). The prevalence of this disease, transmitted
through bodily fluids, is alarming people from all around the world. Many are desperately
attempting to find more ways to prevent the transmission and spread of this deadly disease. The
HIV/AIDS epidemic in Uganda is devastating the mental and physical health of its inhabitants,
and this issue should be handled through better education on this topic and distribution of health
resources.
AIDS can affect everyone, but it is most commonly seen in a variety of people with
limited education on the disease and how to prevent contracting it. People who inject drugs often
contract this disease due to infected needles, as well as homosexual men. In Uganda both of
these groups are looked down upon for their controversial actions, and they are typically less
likely to come forward for treatment due to the social stigma placed upon them by conservative
attitudes. Another social category that has a higher HIV prevalence rate is young women. This
disease continues to disproportionately affect females as a result of gender-based violence,
limited education, few health resources, and inadequate knowledge on how to cope with these
inequalities (HIV 2).

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The increased prevalence of HIV in young Ugandan women is a social inequality that
must be solved in order to control this dangerous outbreak. In 2013, close to 60% of recent HIV
infections among people ages 15-24 were young women (The AIDS 1). One of the most
important causes for this issue is the gender-based violence that runs rampant in this country.
50.5% of married women report being physically or sexually abused by their significant other in
the past year (HIV 6). This incredibly high rate of violence promotes an attitude of male
dominance in society and increased fear in women who need to access HIV health services. Alice
Kayongo, a Regional Policy and Advocacy Manager, states that the majority of the girls do not
visit health facilities for various reasons, and the ones who are positive continue to struggle with
self-esteem issues and stigma (The AIDS Healthcare Foundation Unveils Campaign to Fight
HIV Amongst Young Women and Adolescent Girls 1). In addition to the increased judgement
and stigma that young girls with this disease face, they are often not properly educated on how to
prevent contracting this disease. This limited education causes an increased spread in disease and
an increased risk in contracting it.
Contracting this sickness results in a wide variety of dangerous physical and mental
effects that greatly impact the lives of many Ugandan people. Flu-like symptoms may be
experienced during the first few weeks after transmission, but this deadly virus is typically
asymptomatic until it progresses into later stages, where the victims immune system begins to
fail. In addition to these physical effects, there is a wide variety of mental impacts. The majority
of people living with HIV experience judgement, harassment, and discrimination. The disease
affects not only their health, but also has created a social stigma that affects their relationships
with others (HIV 2). As a result many people, particularly women, do not access healthcare
for fear of judgement. How can we aid the people of Uganda if they are afraid to receive help?

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This societal attitude of judgement accomplishes nothing other than preventing its inhabitants
from receiving care, which is dangerous to not only the afflicted but also those close to them.
The most important component to handling this increasingly devastating epidemic is a
better education for all members of society. Although antiretroviral drugs are crucial in helping
the already affected members of society, educating the others on how to prevent the spread of
disease will have the greatest impact on the AIDS prevalence rate. The training of government
officials and law enforcement officers on HIV, stigma, and discrimination has led to policies
prohibiting gender-based violence and a better understanding of the disease that affects a huge
percentage of this country (The AIDS 2). In addition, a new campaign called GIRLS ACT
aims to increase HIV/AIDS prevention services among young girls and ensure that those living
with HIV have access to care and improved health results (The AIDS 1). This campaign, in
addition to providing health services and care, will also prioritize teaching young girls how to
prevent transmission and deal with the inequalities in society that make them more likely to
contract HIV.
Although the statistics prove beyond doubt that AIDS is a definite issue for the people of
Uganda, many believe that something much more sinister is at play. Conspiracy theory
advocatess believe that this disease was created to kill off minorities such as African Americans
and homosexuals, and that the best treatment is being withheld from the public. The film director
Spike Lee once said that he was convinced AIDS is a government engineered disease
("African American People's AIDS Conspiracy Beliefs Best Understood in Terms of Social
Anxiety and Distrust, Not Ignorance" 1), a theory that has been adopted by many of the Ugandan
people. However, most scientists agree that AIDS spread from monkeys to humans after the virus
mutated to a transmissible strain ("The HIV Prevalence in the General Population 1). This

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mindset does not solve the problem at hand, but rather creates an atmosphere of suspicion and
distrust that only contributes to the fear associated with this disease.
There are many probable causes for the formation of this conspiracy. Believers claim that
the disease was engineered at an American army base in Fort Detrick, Maryland, which was
genuinely used to create biological weapons (African 2). In 1975 there was evidence of the
CIA administering LSD to unwitting patients, many of whom were African American. In
addition, the Tuskegee study, in which the government left African Americans untreated to study
the effects of syphilis, was another incident that incited fear and distrust of government in many
minority groups (African 3). The suspicion and anger that resulted from these incidents is
the most likely cause for this conspiracy. Rather than being based on truth, this theory was
formed as a result of distrust and misgivings in society.
Another part of this conspiracy is the idea that the government is withholding the most
effective treatment from the public. Many felt that Magic Johnson, a basketball star living with
HIV, was given special medical treatment that others do not have access to. Some even believe
that he was given a cure that is currently being withheld by the government for the purpose of
control over the less wealthy. While it is true that more money will undoubtedly result in better
medical care, the idea of a cure being withheld is completely implausible. Pebody argues that
rather than seeing conspiracy beliefs as evidence of ignorance, or as something which could be
corrected with factual education, they are better understood as signs of profound social and
historical problems (African 3). This theory is neither the truth nor ignorance, but rather is
a sign of the suspicion between the government and minorities who have been mistreated in the
past.

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Another possible cause of these theories is a disinformation campaign by the Soviet
Union and East Germany to create anti-Americanism feelings. Government officials planted the
story in Indian and Russian newspapers during the 1980s, and soon it was picked up by media
around the world (African 3). This conspiracy accomplished its purpose, which was to incite
fear and distrust within minorities toward the American government. While this is
understandable, it is not representative of any truth but rather signifies the fragile relationship
between government and the people that once suffered at its expense. Many agencies and
campaigns, such as the GIRLS ACT and AIDS Healthcare Foundation, are working their hardest
to help the affected and at risk people in Uganda and all around the world.
The best way to handle this ongoing outbreak is to educate the people of Uganda on the
disease, how it is passed along, and how to prevent contraction. How can this disease be
prevented if the people at risk are unaware of the danger? Educating the people of this country
will also help to soften the social stigma and discrimination that many of the affected face every
day. While more funding is needed to administer the antiretroviral drugs as treatment to
everyone, many administrations are doing their best to educate and protect the people of Uganda
from this disease. Conspiracy theories and mistrust will not help to treat and protect the
inhabitants of this country, but coming together to educate and give the best care to these people
will.

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Works Cited
"African American People's AIDS Conspiracy Beliefs Best Understood in Terms of Social
Anxiety and Distrust, Not Ignorance." HIV & AIDS Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec.
2016.
"AHF Africa Unveils GIRLS ACT in Uganda, Kenya, South Africa & Nigeria." Professional
Services Close-Up, 6 Nov. 2016. Business Economics and Theory Collection,
"HIV and AIDS in Uganda." AVERT. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.
"The AIDS Healthcare Foundation Unveils Campaign to Fight HIV Amongst Young Women and
Adolescent Girls." Professional Services Close-Up, 6 Nov. 2016. Business Economics
and Theory Collection,
"HIV and AIDS in Uganda." AVERT. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2017.
"The HIV Prevalence in the General Population." ReliefWeb. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2016.
"Preaching Prevention: Born-Again Christianity and the Moral Politics of AIDS in
Uganda." ProtoView, Mar. 2016. Academic OneFile, Accessed 12 Dec. 2016.
"Researchers from Infectious Diseases Institute Report Findings in HIV/AIDS (Cryptococcal
disease and the burden of other fungal diseases in Uganda; Where are the knowledge
gaps and how can we fill them?)." Women's Health Weekly, 1 Sept. 2016, p. 45. Global
Issues in Context, Accessed 12 Dec. 2016.