People living with HIV in Kalangala have expressed fear over inadequate means of transport to go to the health units to get treatment.
Kalangala district has about 60 islands with only nine far to reach health units a serious problem that has made people living with HIV fail to get medical services especially those who were enrolled on ARV.
Due to poor transport, one patient was found stranded at mwena landing site after they failed to get transport to a nearby health centre.
Also, women on ARV’s said it has become difficult to get treatment and some have died after they failed to go to health units for treatment.
Joseph Kagayi, the Managing Director, Rakai health sciences program a government-funded HIV/AIDS project working in Kalangala said that people use smaller boats which is a threat to their lives.
Kalangala District Health Officer, Bitakalamire said that HIV prevalence is very high in Kalangala and even the medical workers have no means of transport to reach out to HIV patients. He said that Kalangala needs more boats so that the medical workers can reach all the health units.
However, the United States Ambassador to Uganda, Deborah Ruth Malac has visited Kalangala Island to assess the fears of HIV patients and see how they can be able to access treatment.
Malac has also responded to the outcry of HIV patients and handed over a modern motorboat that will be used to transport medical workers so that they reach all the patients and give them the required treatment.
She, however, said that America is committed to supporting people living with HIV in the islands of Kalangala.
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