In October, we held different inception meetings for the fisherfolk pilot study in Namayingo District with key stakeholders to discuss and understand the services they support in the fishing communities and discuss strategies to address challenges to health service delivery in the fishing communities of Namayingo.
The pilot also points to the pressing need for HIV/AIDS services in fishing communities. Most of these communities are located in remote parts of the district and have gaps in HIV service provision. In most of the islands HIV counseling and testing are not available. When people get infected with HIV, they have to travel long distances from their islands to the offshore facilities.
“High HIV prevalence rates in these communities are the result of a complex interplay of factors including vulnerabilities caused by the high degree of mobility, as well as a failure to address the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of these communities through HIV prevention programs,” says DHO Namayingo District.
The pilot’s outcomes will help increase awareness, knowledge, and attitude about HIV/AIDS among members of the fishing communities, improve access to and uptake of HIV services by the fishing community, and Improve household income and literacy rates within the fishing community.
Like in other economic sectors, HIV and AIDS are having a profound impact on the livelihoods of fishing families and communities, and the viability of the entire fishery sector.
Story by Geofrey Kasumba