It is astonishing to know that in today’s technology driven era where reasons for almost everything are known, there still exist people who disguise symptoms of diseases like HIV with “Witchcraft”. Mostly the Africans are strong believers of the saga that some disease which cannot be cured or reoccur even after treatment are in one way or other result of being bewitched by some rival.

Inflammations in some body parts generally termed as “Taalo” are actually infections caused by bacteria and are “opportunistic infections in HIV/Aids”; explains Dr. Stephen Watiti of Mildmay Centre.

It is known that HIV symptoms even if apparent are revealed as witchcraft to others in order to hide from people around.

This belief is termed as “defense mechanism” by Hannington Nkayivu, Counseling Psychologist of The Aids Support Organization (Taso) and he elaborates, “Some people say it’s not even there, others believe in divine healing. It brings healing in times when the psychology is tortured although this is temporary. We do not stop them, we let them try it and we know they will bounce back.”

Uganda Aids Commission works with Theta, a local NGO, in traditional ways by involving into different public activities to educate people about Aids related diseases and making them aware of better and scientific services, said the Director of the Commission Dr Kihumuro Apuuli.