Polygamous serodiscordant relations are at the center of social complexities related to serostatus disclosure, seeking care and adherence to treatment. The uninfected partner(s) however, face a high risk of acquiring HIV.
The strengthening TB & HIV/AIDS response in southwestern Uganda (STAR-SW), USAID funded and EGPAF-led project that supports 234 primary health care facilities in 13 districts in southwestern Uganda deliberately targets discordant couples. To keep seropositive partners healthy and seronegative partners safe, the project builds capacity of health workers to provide intensive HIV couple counseling and testing, initiate and support couple testing and disclosure, provide family and psychosocial support through active discordant couple groups, and immediate initiation of seropositive partners on ART.
As a communications and documentation officer with EGPAF Uganda, part of my work is to document success stories from the field and sustainable best practices in comprehensive HIV/AIDS & TB services delivery in southwestern Uganda. I was honored to do a home visit to Yusuf’s family for an in-depth interview on living positively in a serodiscordant polygamous union. I was warmly welcomed into his family with gratitude in the Kakindo village, Ntungamo District. “My friend I am glad you have come to learn from us. We have waited for this moment for a long time” said Yusuf on my arrival
Yusuf, is a 62-year old lively father of 32 children, and a husband to three wives (two of whom are HIV seronegative) is one of the front line successes to the above interventions. He was tested for HIV while seeking dental care, immediately disclosed his HIV status to all his wives, one of whom tested positive, immediately enrolled in care with her, are both adhering to treatment with non-judgmental seronegative partners’ support and are now a face of bravery for the very fears that haunt couples in their situation.
“We are proud of our husband and co-wife’s uncommon courage and deliberate effort to keep us safe from HIV. I always remind him how lucky I am to have him for a husband and Safina (the seropositive partner) for a co-wife”, said Nuriat (the seronegative partner).
For a period of June 2013 – June 2014, STAR-SW project reached a total of 641 HIV serodiscordant couples with quality comprehensive HIV care and treatment services with no reported seroconversion among the seronegative partners. While discordant couple figures above may represent a number to a policy maker, it’s to us a representation of a mother, a wife, a husband, and a father that a family and the community looks up to for a meaningful and fulfilled life!
Learning from the experts – the people we serve brings us a step closer to attaining health equity and social justice through their very own initiatives with a dominating ingredient of contextual acceptability.