Programs:

Anti-Stigma and Discrimination:

Through its Anti-Stigma Program, AGHA has established Anti Stigma and Discrimination Task Forces in the four districts of operation, comprised of health professionals and health care providers. These taskforces reach out to colleagues and communities to emphasize the need for equal access to health services, without discrimination as to HIV/AIDS status, sex, age, ethnicity, etc.

HIV/AIDS-related stigma violates PLWAs rights and prevents many people from accessing health care and treatment. To combat stigma in health settings, the Action Group for Health, Human Rights and HIV/AIDS (AGHA) Uganda engaged health care worker members in an anti-stigma and discrimination campaign centered on peer education and leadership building.   

In 2005, AGHA held two stigma “training-for-trainers” for 50 AGHA health care workers and PLWA members from four districts of Kampala, Tororo, Mbarara and Rakai as well as from Makerere Medical School.  Following the training, participants organized themselves into district based anti-stigma task forces and took the messages learned to their peers and colleagues. This has been through trainings, workshops and Continued Medical Education (CME )sessions So far task forces have held more than 12 member-led stigma trainings for health workers in the fours districts reaching over 200 health workers. 

AGHA aims at having stigma and discrimination lessons institutionalized and for this reason; we are aiming at having it covered during the continued Medical Education sessions in health centres. Meetings with district officials in charge of CMEs, and heads of various health units are going to establish the modalities of CMEs and how stigma and discrimination can be part. So far, this has been successful in Tororo district, where AGHA facilitated a theme on stigma and discrimination during their February 2008 CME session 

Health Care providers are at the centre of health service delivery so the anti stigma campaign enables them identify everyday challenges and devise realistic solutions. Fighting stigma and discrimination means enabling health workers perform effectively, serving patients wholeheartedly. Information that is traditionally not part of the medical education also being received. At the end of the day, the enjoyment of the right to health is being realized as health care services become more acceptable, with enough information being passed on to all stakeholders in the health care system.