Where is Uganda's Leadership and Policy in HIV-AIDs Fight

There is a question of leadership behind everyThe health sector is not independent in its
problem -be it personal, family or community. But,requirement for proper leadership and effective
also, behind every success, there will be aservices management. However, much of the
leadership to laud. People will always consider anyinput from the leadership has tended to be moral
matter as requiring spiritual intervention orand less of tangible ones. Much efforts have been
explanation only if humanity has failed. Also,exerted on research rather than management of
because of that, the quest for spirituality andfindings and integrating recommendation into the
spiritual businesses will too prevail.health management system -to tangible
No wonder countries with grave human rightsoutcomes.
violations and autocratic rule will so muchAccountability, on the other hand, must be
characterize search for spiritual intervention andensured and demanded as per the health
comfort. Where hope for change is deem, peoplelegislation -where mismanagement is punishable by
there will consider living in the spiritual world as thetaking back funds where it belongs, cancellation of
only answer, as the leadership too opts for theoperation license, suspension of culprits out of the
same strategy to survive.health business and imprisonment (minimum of six
As long as the approach, either way, remains, lifeyears). In some areas, execution serves best, but
will too remain the same -in terms of autocracyin a fair case as considerable, the earlier weight of
and continued fixing of heads into the sand in thepunishment can be effective.
name of taking refugee -by living in spiritual world.According to the Uganda HIV and AIDS
It can be, as well, noted that where there isSero-Behavioral Survey, the number of people
citizenship dignity, democratic governance,living with HIV is higher in urban areas (10.1%
predictable yet transition of power and otherprevalence) than rural areas (5.7%); it is also
events -of social, economic, cultural andhigher among women (7.5%) than men (5.0%). It
environmental nature; there will be distinctiveis feared that HIV prevalence in Uganda may be
sense of self and community-centered programsrising again; at best it has reached a plateau
for healthy transition into the future andwhere the number of new HIV infections
intergenerational benefit.matches the number of AIDS-related deaths.
Leadership will be needed amidst crises andWho should explain that?
development needs through comprehensive activeOrganizations operating in the sector are failing to
planning, nation health analysis and policy orprovide adequate care to the increasing number
decision making. It does not end there, but go asof clients knocking their office doors for help,
far as popularizing its policies, making enabling lawswhile government, on the other hand, is failing to
and persuading its citizens to support them.offer sustainable support to the HIV/AIDS
The same would apply at individual level -whereprograms. Access to drugs continues to be a
someone must empower himself or herself withlimitations over years -without a solutions and
knowledge and skills for self-transformation andworsened by the slow or no supply chain. Who
certainty of the future. This generates confidence,then should the HIV/AIDS infected and affected
and can go to the level of advocacy and creatingpeople turn to?
mass awareness for national development.If the leadership can get it roles right, then the
To achieve success from the efforts of bothbehavior change communication will be
government and its citizens, there must be anstrengthened; organizations would ensure
interdependent outlook -where government isheightened advocacy for positive change, the
indeed for the people and people for governance."people's" parliament would be actively involved,
The same can apply in organizational ormassive activism for positive change would prevail
institutional management.and the media would be actively involved.