Born-Again Leaders Warned Against Discouraging HIV-Positive People from Taking ARVs

The Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) and Care Uganda have rallied religious leaders to integrate HIV prevention and treatment messages into their programs.

This initiative aims to address the HIV/AIDS burden in Uganda, where 1,492,000 people, including 72,000 children, are living with the disease, according to UAC statistics.

Dr Vincent Bagambe, UAC’s director of planning and strategic information, urged faith leaders to actively promote adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART).

He criticized the notion that divine healing alone suffices, emphasizing, “The belief that God alone will heal those living with HIV, while ignoring medical interventions, is misleading. The discovery of these life-saving tablets is itself a miracle from God.”

The appeal follows reports of some born-again religious leaders discouraging ART use in favor of spiritual healing.

Dr Bagambe cautioned that such practices jeopardize national efforts to control HIV and risk reversing progress in reducing HIV-related deaths.

Uganda allocates an estimated Shs1 trillion annually to provide ART and related services to over 1.2 million people currently on treatment.

Dr Bagambe highlighted the importance of reducing new infections to free resources for socio-economic development.

Women and children remain disproportionately affected by the epidemic, with 910,000 women and 72,000 children living with HIV. These figures underline the need for targeted, gender-sensitive, and child-focused interventions.

Canon Dr. Ruth Ssenyonyi, UAC’s Board Chair, encouraged religious leaders to embrace their pivotal role in shaping societal behavior.

“Churches and mosques are uniquely positioned to influence millions of followers every week,” she said.

“By weaving HIV messages into sermons and community programs, we can inspire both prevention and acceptance.”

Religious institutions in Uganda collectively reach over 15 million people weekly. Canon Gideon Byamugisha, an HIV-positive cleric and advocate, emphasized the need to equip clergy with accurate information.

“While prevention is key, leaders must be well-informed to guide their congregations effectively,” he said.

Apostle Grace Lubega of Phanero Ministries suggested harnessing the power of social media to reach young people, noting its growing influence. “The youth are our future, and they are mostly online. Let us meet them where they are,” he urged, advocating the use of platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) for spreading prevention messages.

Despite progress in reducing HIV prevalence from 6.4% in 2014 to 5.4%, challenges persist.

These include stigma around ART and a high number of new infections, particularly among adolescents and young women.

The engagement concluded with religious leaders committing to champion evidence-based interventions, foster community dialogue, and combat HIV-related stigma.

Dr Bagambe expressed optimism about achieving an HIV-free generation with the support of faith leaders.

As Uganda works towards the global 95-95-95 targets by 2030, collaborations between faith and science remain vital in the fight against HIV/AIDS.