Ugandan Army to make HIV/AIDS education part of military training

Mar 23 2009

The Ugandan army plans to include HIV/AIDS prevention and care information as part of its training curriculum, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, chief of defense forces, said recently, the New Vision reports. "In the 1990s, the army was affected by HIV/AIDS," he said, adding, "Our resolve then and now has been to learn to leave in the spirit of togetherness to fight the epidemic."

Nyakairima made the announcement at the close of a three-day military HIV/AIDS conference for senior officers. During the conference -- which was organized by the African Union and sponsored by the Institute for Security Studies -- Nyakairima called for a re-examination of methods used to address HIV/AIDS. "We have to coordinate and discuss with other armies," he said, adding, "If one country has failed to manage the problem well, another nation could help."

Nyakairima added that high AIDS mortality rates in the army have resulted in a loss of skilled labor and that the disease hinders soldiers' ability to do their work. He also called on commanders to lead efforts against HIV/AIDS. "We need healthy soldiers in regional security, global peace missions and in local security agencies," he said (Musingo, New Vision, 3/17).