Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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New Vision (Kampala) - October 24, 2005
The ABC campaign is a moral issue and, despite our arguments, we cannot run away from the fact that there is a moral being inside each of us. That is why we are able to differentiate between good and bad or right and wrong. Every Ugandan should have intuition to clearly see abstinence as the best form of curbing HIV/AIDS. We always know the right thing to do out of instinct.
But we always find a way of getting close to the wrong thing without doing wrong. It seems today that what is morally right is determined by the group to which one belongs. In other words, the community demands have become the ethical demands which eventually are the ethical values.
Condom advocates are so preoccupied with monitoring the number of condoms available on the market that they don't think about the shortcomings of condoms as a preventive measure.
For example some brands such as engabu have been found to be defective but this group does not want to say so.
In Uganda the greatest success in HIV/AIDS prevention has been achieved through the A & B approach. Since 1994 when the 'true love waits' campaign was launched, the infection rate has gone down by 50% among the young people.
However, individuals like UNAIDS Africa envoy Stephen Lewis have embarked on a campaign to publicise the alleged shortage of condoms, which has overshadowed the A & B approach.
At Makerere University, which has been said by some people to be one of the places where morals are lowest, an impressive figure of those who have chosen sexual abstinence has had good impact on reversing infection rates.
Unfortunately, a lot of "C" marketing is threatening to erode the gains made under the "A" option. Reports of condom shortage tend to take precedence over the rising number of those opting for the A & B approach. This trend should change.
The argument that "not all can abstain" is not baseless, but we should look beyond and address the reasons why many people cannot abstain.
HIV/AIDS activists and all stakeholders should join hands to curb pornography and restrain those championing it. Let us stay with ABC as the priority approach. Emphasis on abstinence is bound to bear more fruits.
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