The National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU)

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Disability and HIV/AIDS
The national response to HIV/AIDS epidemic has been marked with high political commitment at various levels; including openness that has enhanced behaviour change, support from international development partners and collective action from sectors of government and civil society. The National strategic plan for HIV/AIDS (2007/8 – 2011/12) activities focus on a multi-sectoral approach on control: outlining three major goals in the areas of reducing prevalence, mitigating effects of the epidemic and strengthening the national capacity to respond to the epidemic. Currently the national HIV/AIDS prevalence stands at 6.4 % (UHBS 2005), with a higher prevalence among women and in northern Uganda (20-30%). However no study yet has established the prevalence among PWDs in Uganda, although it is anecdotally reported that PWDs are increasingly sexually exploited especially the female gender which certainly puts them at risk of acquiring the infection.

PWDs often experience stigma and marginalization in many service areas, e.g. access to education, HIV/AIDS services, among others. Women with disabilities (WWDs) are often victims of sexual and gender violence, sexual harassment thus predisposing them to HIV infection. Available HIV/AIDS services and policies however, do not provide for special emphasis on disability friendly services especially for WWDs but are rather lumped under the vulnerable populations. Even the National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS gives little attention to disability issues. This situation called for NUDIPU to strongly come out and advocate for the rights of PWDs especially WWDs in the area of Disability and HIV/AIDS.

NUDIPU together with its partners (DPOs) formed the HIV/AIDS Committee (DSHAC) to try and address the existing gaps through mainstreaming disability issues into national HIV/AIDS programmes. As a result of this partnership, a Uganda Disability Fraternity Five-Year HIV/AIDS Strategic plan (2007/08-2011/2012). The goal of the plan is to ensure Universal Access to comprehensive and quality HIV/AIDS services for improved livelihood in Uganda, with the purpose of increasing HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment services to PWDs in Uganda. The Disability strategic plan is aligned to the National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS under the thematic areas of universal access to prevention, care and support and care and treatment with a view of mitigating health effects of HIV/AIDS on the lives of PLWHAs.

The programme on Disability and HIV/AIDS of NUDIPU currently focuses on increasing access to HIV/AIDS prevention; care and treatment services to PWDs with emphasis on providing information to HIV/AIDS service providers about disability issues to influence service utilization. The programme aims at achieving the following;

Strengthening technical and institutional capacities of DPOs, HIV/AIDS service providers and PWDs in HIV/AID prevention and care.
Increasing awareness on HIV/AIDS and disability amongst service providers, PWDs and communities
Advocate for equal opportunities and equitable access to quality HIV/AIDS services by PWDs
Develop and strengthen partnerships between the disability fraternity, government, CSOs and other HIV/AIDS service providers.