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HEALTH
Have you ever wondered how the history of HIV in Uganda would be visualized in local contexts? Or what did the stories, artefacts and archives look like during the epidemic?
HIV and AIDS have left a great deal of devastation since 1982. Without a doubt.
The evaluation of the impact of HIV on the Ugandan population (UPHIA2017) indicates that HIV prevalence among adults aged 15 to 65 in Uganda is 6.2% and 0.5% in children of under 15 years old. The trend of the epidemic has evolved to older people.
Historical launch of the museum
The HIV and AIDS Museum, the first of its kind, was inaugurated in Uganda on December 1, 2018 (on the occasion of World AIDS Day), courtesy of Irish Aid. theme: Visualizing HIV: An exhibition on the past, the present and the future in Uganda.
The Ugandan Academy for Innovation and Impact on Health (UAHII), based at the Institute of Infectious Diseases (IDI), in partnership with the AIDS Support Organization (TASO), the Ugandan Commission for Disease Control AIDS (UAC) and Africa Heritage Consulting.
At the launch, Ms. Christine Ondoa, a member of the advisory board of the Ugandan Academy, said that during the next year, the museum would move to Uganda, leading to a permanent exhibition at TASO.
"By showcasing materials gathered in the last 30 years of Uganda's HIV response, this exhibition seeks to bring together research and life experiences to present the many textures of HIV advocacy and awareness since the disease began. hit Uganda, "she said.
The establishment of this unique museum was devised by Dr. Micheal Etukoit, Executive Director of TASO, who spoke about the idea in 2017 when TASO turned 29 years old. The TASO board of directors bought the idea.
Although Etukoit is a doctor, he says to be a good student in history, from where the inspiration. He explained that if we lose the story of an epidemic such as HIV and AIDS, we will have lost a great opportunity.
"As a country severely affected by the AIDS epidemic, this is part of our history, and we can not wish for it. At a time when the world has made considerable technological progress, this epidemic has lasted for more than three decades, "he said.
Dr. Micheal Etukoit. (Credit: Elvis Basudde)"Today, people living with HIV and AIDS do not manifest the symptoms that were evident 34 years ago. The time when practically in every home people had a habit of crying every other day in Rakai, which had the most devastating effect of HIV, is slowly becoming a story. "
Etukoit pointed out that many people living with HIV are now living positively with the virus, which can be attributed to Uganda's record in recent decades as a world leader in combating HIV. HIV. While Uganda has come a long way in addressing this pandemic, this success is based on many efforts and interventions that need to be documented, he said.
Why the museum
According to Etukoit, in the years following this epidemic, people from all walks of life, including scientists and politicians, have tried every known and imaginable method in the scientific, cultural and public health fields to contain the disease. 'epidemic.
But in the process, people have all learned a lot – what to do and what not to do. Literally, everything has been put to the test to put an end to the HIV epidemic. There was a time when people with the disease were quarantined and could not badociate with other people or travel to certain countries.
"Over this period, more than 35 years later, a lot of learning took place and this learning or information must be jealously guarded so that posterity can learn what it took to contain the epidemic", said Etukoit.
Second, during learning, some theories of public health have been studied but never put into practice. The museum offers the world an opportunity to practice them to test or see if they can really work and, if so, what is the best performance.
Sylvia Namatovu presenting material for the museum. (Credit: Elvis Basudde)"Retaining this information on HIV could eventually help the world manage another serious epidemic in the future, if it occurs, using a much shorter life span than we had with HIV because these practices will continue to pose public health problems. that the world can cope with the future, "said Etukoit.
That they will have all the evolution of what is happening – right from the beginning of the epidemic – to documenting and preserving, including the best practices that have successfully contained the epidemic of HIV.
So, does the creation of a museum mean that HIV will be part of the story?
"No," said Etukoit.
"The creation of an AIDS museum does not mean that HIV will be part of history, there are many reasons the museum needs to be created." The Second World War took six years (1939- 1945) to end and there is only one museum in the world. "
But HIV and AIDS have taken more than 30 years – the very reason for establishing an AIDS museum to preserve information for historical purposes for posterity, not necessarily to end it. Etukoit said that although HIV and AIDS are not over yet, there are lessons to be learned, the delay is very long.
For example, at about 25%, mother-to-child transmission of HIV was the second most common cause of transmission in Uganda. But it is now proven that we have contained MTCT as a country.
There are many other interventions available, including antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to contain the epidemic.
"So we do not need to wait until there is nothing left for us to start preserving, otherwise, if we have no preserved origin, we can easily forget it. We are optimistic that the end is imminent, at least like an epidemic. "
There are also documents on what happened before that can fit in and even shorten the remaining period of the epidemic. There are certain practices, some things we have done in the past that have worked but we do not use them anymore, if we could bring back what we have learned in the past but we have abandoned.
And when we look at the level of stigma that existed at the time and compare it to today, you will see a very big difference. Sometimes stigma exists and people do not even notice it. The creation of a museum will make many people understand what happened at the beginning of the epidemic – even those who were there may not have understood everything.
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On the display Documents archived over the years since the disease arrived in Uganda have been exposed, many works of art have been used and pictures describing what TASO was doing during this activity, images of the founding members of TASO. Among the other images presented were the first images of people suffering from the plague, "Slim", as it was called at the time, books on the epidemic and many collections. There were old 1980s TASO era tapes, tapes showing how advice was given at the time, a collection of old books, pictures of a popular DJ called DJ Berry, and both books telling the story of TASO, written by the founder. members, Neorine Kaleeba and Peter Ssebanja. There was also a script on Ndiwulira, a play on HIV and AIDS staged by Bakayimbira, sponsored by the AIDS Program. TASO offered a permanent residence to house the AIDS Museum and promised a version of an online museum. |
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