Development Initiatives International
The problem of HIV/AIDS in Uganda still possesses a big obstacle with regard to attaining better health for the population. It is now widely accepted that HIV/AIDS is not just a health issue. Its impact cuts across all sectors of life.
While many organizations have developed capacity in HIV/AIDS prevention and care and support for PLWAS, HIV/AIDS mitigation activities in the informal sector are still very limited. According to the Census report of 2002, the informal sector in Uganda constitutes approximately 85% of the entire workforce of Uganda. It is therefore imperative that HIV prevention and treatment efforts for the informal economy workers are strengthened in order to prevent new infections and mitigate the impact of HIV on this sector.
The fight against HIV?AIDS can only be possible if you know your status. Testing is available at DII events.
VCT is essential in the fight against HIV/ AIDS because knowing one is HIV negative can serve as a strong motivating factor for such a person to remain negative, particularly for those who may otherwise assume it is too late to adopt safer sexual practices. For people who test positive, DII sensitize and motivates them into adopting healthy lifestyle that improves their health status.
This involves two counseling sessions: one prior to taking the test known as “Pre-test counseling” and one following the HIV test when the results are given, often referred to as “Post-test counseling
Development Initiatives International (DII) through its project the Market Vendors AIDS Project (MAVAP) addressed issues relating to HIV/AIDS awareness prevention, care and support in market work places. The project established collaborative and complimentary partnerships with Marie Stopes Uganda, AIDS Information Centre, AHF – Uganda Cares, Infectious Disease Institute and Uganda Youth Development Link to provide a more integrated range of HIV services to the market vendors through a referral system.
As a result, the uptake of services provided directly by MAVAP and those provided through a referral system tremendously increased.
Ensuring that no baby is born with HIV is an essential step towards achieving an AIDS-free generation. Ensuring PMTCT is provided to all women that need it is our most effective way to eliminating new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers.
DII PMTCT team provides drugs, counseling and psychological support to help mothers safeguard their infants against the virus. PMTCT is one of our gateway for HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support for the whole family of our member(s).