The Chairman of Uganda AIDS Commission Professor Vinand Nantulya says the commission is going to engage the religious leaders separately from different sects to ensure that they deliver the messages of HIV/AIDS effectively to the followers.
While launching a report on the status of the stigma and discrimination among HivAids patients that was carried out in central and south western Uganda, Nantulya said that the commission designed HIV messages for religious leaders to disseminate but the messages have not been spread up to the grass roots.
Stella Kentutsi from the National forum of people living with HIV Networks in Uganda says that they found out that 57 % of patients were stigmatized but with sensitization they have managed to reduce the rate to 35%.
The survey that was done by none governmental organizations working with people living with HIVAIDS including Nsambya Home care and Kitovu mobile indicate that stigma adds to the stress experienced by people living with HIV making it more difficult for them access treatment and care .
The NGOS recommend that Government and other stakeholders should mobilize and effectively allocate more resources to HIV stigma reduction projects, and faith leaders be encouraged and supported to talk more to people in demystifying HIV stigma.