We need to re-design the ABC strategy on AIDS – Otto

Aruu County Member of Parliament (MP) Odonga Otto has asked for the ABC (Abstain, Be faithful, and use Condoms) strategy on AIDS to be re-designed and packaged before being brought to the public.
This comes after reports that the ABC strategy has been change to ABC squared by adding circumcision as a new component to the strategy.
Speaking during a public dialogue on morals at Makerere University on Friday, Otto said that they amend the rules because they are not working.
“You can not Abstain, Be faithful, and again use Condoms because every thing is different. And I challenge the architects of that slogan in parliament that they are misleading the youth”, he said.
“We need to re-design and re-package the whole thing before bringing it to the public. Because now there are youths who are running around that if you are circumcised you can not get AIDS”.
The ABC strategy has been seen by many people as the force behind Uganda’s success story in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Uganda is respected all over the world for reducing the infection rate to just 11%, from 30% in the mid 1990’s.
But Otto disagrees with the Ministry of Health’s figures saying that the figures are doctored for donor reasons.
“I think for every 10 Ugandan, at least 3 are HIV positive”.
Mrs Mbuga Winfred the Deputy Dean of Makerere University and the patron of the Youth Alive Club in Makerere University said.
A University should be a place where you register to get a degree, but not an area where you abort or get AIDS.
Mrs Mbuga adds that a research conducted by Makerere Medical School students reveals that AIDS prevalence is lowest among first years. But says the numbers are shocking as the move second and third year.
Otto adds that the low HIV/AIDS prevalence in Europe and North America can not be attributed to legalisation of prostitution.
He said that legalisation of prostitution, which he does not support where the workers are screened and people officially pay, can not stop AIDS prevalence.
“if that is the case then AIDS would not be doing very well in Ethiopia and Thailand where prostitution has been legalised”.
Sub - Sahara Africa is the hardest hit region by the HIV/AIDS prevalence. About 600 people in South Africa die daily of AIDS related illnesses.