The AIDS Pandemic in Uganda

AIDS is registered as one of the major human catastrophes facing the world today, its consequences far reaching. In Uganda successful fight against HIV/AIDS is well recognised. By 1991 Uganda s HIV/AIDS prevalence stood at about 30% in some parts of the country. This had reduced to about 5% by 2001. This success largely depended on the social and interpersonal networks referred to as social capital. The book documents the role of NGOs in mobilising social capital at different levels and its effect on HIV/AIDS challenges in Uganda. A major finding in the book is that the ways individuals and groups are connected and interact with each other are important mechanisms for alleviating HIV/AIDS. From Uganda s story there are three lessons learned; 1. Earlier contextual explanations such as witchcraft as the cause of the disease which had dominated community approaches to HIV/AIDS are demystified;2. Fighting HIV/AIDS goes beyond the medical profession to include the social approaches;3. Emerging issues such as religious fundamentalism have negative impact on Uganda s success story and may explain new trends in HIV/AIDS prevalence