UGANDA: Christine Auma: "Life is
meaningless when you are sick"
AMURU, 8 October 2008 (PlusNews) -
Christine Auma has lived in a camp
for internally displaced persons in
northern Uganda's Amuru district for
more than 20 years. Relative peace
has returned to the region over the
past two years, and she has watched
neighbours and friends move out of
the camp into resettlement camps
closer to their villages. But her
case was different, she told
IRIN/PlusNews.
"I learnt that I was HIV-positive
last year in February after testing
at Amuru health centre. I cannot go
back to my village because my
parents and elder brothers have told
me they do not want me home because
I am HIV-positive. My parents left
the camp and went back home early
this year.
They say I am going to give them
burden at home when I fall sick;
they say they cannot take care of me
and my children because they have no
money. Our neighbours in the village
say I am going to die because I am
HIV-positive.
"My last-born, who is six years old,
is also sick; she was born with the
virus. She cannot play with other
children because our neighbours say
she will infect their children with
the virus.
"They say that my child is dying
and, as result, my child has refused
to take drugs. She was taking
septrin [an antibiotic] given by the
counsellor in Amuru health centre.
She says she will not take the drugs
because people know she is dying any
moment; she cries a lot.
"My husband left me after learning
that I was HIV-positive. He said
that I have infected him with the
virus and made his life short.
"There is no one to help me in the
camp, my children are worried. When
I die I do not know how they will
survive. Life is meaningless when
you are sick."
ca/kr/he
Themes: (IRIN) HIV/AIDS (PlusNews)
[ENDS]
Report can be found online at:
http://www.plusnews.org/report.aspx?
ReportId=80815
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