The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Judiciary (Criminal Bench), Uganda Police Force (UPF) and Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) on Wednesday held discussions at Kampala Hotel Africana, to find remedies for combating the spread of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria infections among their ranks.
The High-Level brainstorming meeting was aimed at finding ways and means to bring under control the spread of the deadly HIV, TB and malaria scourge among staff of the Judiciary and their sister uniformed security organs in the police and prisons.
Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo, the Director of Public Prosecutions in her opening remarks, said her office has so far sensitized a total of 360 officers on HIV, TB and Malaria.
“We in addition coordinated with Uganda Parliament to add a voice on sensitization of communities to curb spread of HIV, TB and Malaria and developed a training manual for our staff to stem the spread of these deadly diseases among our ranks,” she said.
Regarding administering Justice, Ms. Abodo said her office has this year successfully completed 300 cases countrywide, especially in Lower Courts.
Ms. Ayebare Proscovia, the HIV, Malaria and TB Project Coordinator and Senior State Prosecutor, said management of diseases is community based, which is why ODPP aims at training and capacity building among employees of the Justice System. She said ODPP has improved on healthcare within the Justice System through screening for HIV, TB and Malaria since July last year.
She also said ODPP has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Health to carry out the health sensitization campaign and that they have a stronger relationship with Uganda Aids Commission.
During panel discussions, participants observed that prison congestion is the root cause for the spread of TB and other infectious diseases among inmates.
Milton Tiyo, Assistant Commissioner of Prisons and Director, Correctional Services observed that he has a total of 76200 prisoners under his care, where congestion of inmates is a big challenge. He called for speeding up of case backlogs in courts to decongest prisons, to avoid prisoners from spreading infectious diseases such as TB, scabies and whooping cough among others.
Justice Wagona, in his closing remarks, on behalf of the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Nobert Mao, said HIV, TB and Malaria are leading causes of deaths in the globe and that stakeholders in the Justice System should walk the talk, to curb spread of these diseases.
He called upon judicial officers to punish cases of defilement heavily, as they are root causes of HIV infections.
“Aggravated defilement with HIV is an element of an aggravating offence which attracts a higher sentence, especially if the person does the defilement intentionally and knowingly,” he said.
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