Last Updated on: 24th January 2023, 12:33 am
MP Alyek Judith is the chairperson of the Committee on HIV/AIDs in the 11th Parliament.
Kole district Woman MP has publicly commented on a story in which Lira Magistrate Court sentenced a woman to 7 years for intentionally infecting her stepson with HIV.
Judith Alyek who also doubles as the Chairperson of Lango Parliamentary Group (LPG), described the convict’s action as “painful”.
While passing out the judgment last week, chief magistrate Abiti Loum gave the woman 7 years after she pleaded guilty to the offense.
The maximum sentence for this type of crime is 10 years. To read more on the court verdict, click here.
Below are comments by MP Alyek to TND News on Monday, January 23.
“There are people campaigning for the repeal of section 43 of the HIV Prevention and Control Act about intentional transmission of HIV claiming transmission of HIV is not intentional. This is very painful! What if the child was their own, would they just leave the culprit to go freely? Really? If caught, they should just face the law unless not found guilty!”
“The child has already been infected and will be on ARVs for life. Actually, the law should be amended to life imprisonment if convicted! Thank you for publishing the news! Please continue exposing people who intentionally transmit HIV to others!!”
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In May 2014, Ugandan Parliament passed a bill to criminalize the willful and intentional transmission of HIV. Once convicted, he or she serves up to 10 years in prison.
Whereas it’s hard to get data on people who get willfully and intentionally infected with HIV in Uganda, a report by UNAIDS in 2018 found that approximately 570 young women aged 15 to 24 get infected every week in Uganda.
In June 2017, Uganda launched the Presidential Fast Track Initiative to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
The above initiative was contained in the Country’s HIV/AIDS Progress Report of July 2016 to June 2017.
“This is a legacy to present to the future generations, to accelerate and scale up the fight against HIV and end AIDS,” said the report.