Our fight against Hiv in Gulu 1
St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor in the northern Ugandan district of Gulu is one of the largest private non-profit hospitals in Equatorial Africa.
Uganda became a success story in the fight against HIV/Aids in the 1990s with prevalence rates falling from 15 per cent in the early 90s to five per cent in 2001 but that drop is under threat, given the fact that the prevalence rates are on the rise.
The Lacor hospital hosts a programme started by the Italian Superior Health Institute to fight Aids which involves training of local personnel and providing HIV tests, counselling, health education and prevention of mother/child transmission of the Hiv virus.
Uganda is one of the 15 countries that have been receiving money under George Bush’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which Barack Obama has promised to strengthen and expand. After Obama’s visit in Africa, there are a lot of people wondering if his plan against AIDS will be different from the one promoted by Bush administration.
Dr Ciprian Opyra, born in the Gulu district, is the new director of Lacor Hospital.
Uganda in the past gained important results in figthing Hiv. According to you, which are the reasons of this success?
I think this is due to the openness of communication. From the very beginning the President of Uganda started to speak openly of the problem, followed by his ministers, in particularly by the minister of health. Then the ABC campaign – Abstinence, Being faithful, Condom – spread all over the country.
How is the situation now?
Infection rate unfortunately is higher in north Uganda than in the south, it seems to be about 11%. There is still a lot of work to do but ten years ago the infection rate was about 24%.
Do you think the method used in Uganda can be useful to other countries?
Yes, especially in other African countries where the situation is similar. Leadership must tell the people the truth about prevalence rate, to do information and health education.
What about access to drugs?
Initially it was not possible for everybody. Around six years ago the prices of the drugs started turning down. Uganda joined easily American programs and we started having free drugs from UN and other initiatives. In this way some people have been access to the drugs, but the number of people ready for treatment is much more than those who benefits from treatment. We have about 1800 adults and 300 children under treatment, but we have much more people waiting. We have been given a maximum that we can not exceed which is 2000 adults and 500 children.
How many beds do you have?
480 normally, but bed occupancy rate is more than 100%, sometimes we have like 600 patients.
How many employees?
About 600, both medical and technical field.
Do you work with the government of Uganda?
Yes, we work together on the ground in the district, the government sends doctors to our hospital and also gives some funds to our hospital every year.
Do you receive any help from Usaid, the government agency providing US economic and humanitarian assistance?
We had one big help from in 1998. Madeleine Albright came to our hospital and gave some money which was used to build the paediatrics area and to buy the ambulances.
Do you think that the policy against Hiv in Africa could change with the new president Barack Obama?
I think that it will not change very much. People who helped Bush will give the same advise to Obama. We wait and see.
For many years, because of the presence of Lord resitance army rebel militia in the area of Gulu, the hospital has become a shelter for displaced people who fled their villages…
Yes, from 1987 to 2002 something like 4000 people were used to come every night. They didn’t feel secure sleeping at home, so they came to sleep in the hospital and in the morning they go back home.
How is the situation now?
It is more than two years that we do not have more fights around the hospital. Lord resistance army has gone to Democratic Republic of Congo, unfortunately for the people who live there. We no longer received direct attacks and also our patients can go back home without risks.
What about refugee camps in North Uganda?
The big camps have been dismantled. Now people have gone to what they call satellite camps, which are very near the villages.
By Emanuela Citterio - Afronline
President Obama’s promise of strengthening support towards PERFAR,has come at atime when USA is facing serious finacial crisis.This has already dwindled the donations,including those meant for the above program from theUS goverment, as it is in abid to revive it’s drowning economy.So President 0bama’s promise isn’t yet aplicable instead the program is just becoming weak.