Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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New Vision (Kampala) - October 2, 2007
More than 50,000 children living with HIV are in immediate need of medication, but less than one in five are receiving it. HIV testing and treatment for children, therefore, needs to be made a national priority. Because young children are particularly vulnerable to the ravages of HIV, they should be tested as early as possible.
People can now live with the virus for as many as 20 years or more and, therefore, HIV infection is no longer the death sentence that it used to be a decade or so ago.
This means our children have a chance to live longer, but parents need to know their HIV status so as to make the right decisions regarding their children's medical care as soon as possible.
Anti-retroviral drugs have turned the fortunes of despairing patients around. However, this should not be a licence to be complacent. HIV/Aids is still a formidable threat and in spite of the remarkable improvement, there is still no cure for the disease.
Knowledge is power. Early intervention cannot be over-emphasised in the effective management of HIV/Aids.
Expectant mothers particularly need to know their HIV status when attending antenatal clinics so that measures can be taken early enough to prevent mother-to-child infection in the event they are found HIV-positive.
Routine testing for HIV should be carried out by all health workers and encouraged by local leaders and in the workplace. This would give a chance for those infected to be closely monitored and receive expert advice and necessary help before their immune systems collapse.
Because HIV treatment is for life, there is need for maximum adherence to the best medical practices and positive living.
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