A UNAIDS official has called on pastors to stop claiming to heal HIV/Aids infected people as they are jeopardizing efforts to reduce the spread of the disease, especially in developing countries like Uganda, the Daily Monitor reports.
During a regional consultative convention on HIV Treatment Adherence and Faith Healing in Kampala, organized by the World Council of Church, the UNAIDS country representative to Uganda, Ms Kiragu said pastors should stop confusing HIV infected people and this is a challenge which church should look into and resolve.
Ms Kiragu further said that if religious leaders continue with the false claims, people living with the disease would stop taking drugs and resort to pastors’ prayers which will eventually lead them to death.
According to the report a number of worldwide Born Again pastors claim to have special divine powers to pray and cure HIV/AIDS disease but without credible evidence.
According to the 2016 Uganda population HIV/Aids Impact Assessment (UPHIA) survey, the adult HIV prevalence is higher among women at 7.5 per cent compared to 4.3 per cent among men.
The report also states the National HIV prevalence declined from 7.3 per cent to 6.0 per cent.
