Although Tanzania has made a remarkable headway in the fight against HIV/Aids, the road ahead remains long, rugged and challenging. Nevertheless, President Jakaya Kikwete is optimistic that given the intensity of the struggle the nation shall eventually win.Nevertheless, President Jakaya Kikwete is optimistic that given the intensity of the struggle the nation shall eventually win.
So, the good news at the moment is that the spread of the virus has come down and that a total of 653,000 people living with the Aids virus are on anti-retroviral drugs therapy. Despite this delightful news, however, a few ominous signs are looming on the horizon….
The other ominous aspect is that some people spread the Aids virus spitefully. Many are oblivious of the stark fact that such misconduct amounts to a felony that is punishable by law. It is these people with warped minds about Aids who should be tamed.
In fact, any person who intentionally transmits HIV to another person commits an offence and on conviction the culprit shall be liable to life imprisonment. The offence amounts to a heinous “attack” in contravention of the HIV and AIDS Prevention Control Act (2007).
The law is tailored to provide incisive prevention, care and control of HIV and AIDS and promotion of public health to persons who are free from HIV/aids. People living with HIV/Aids should be aware that they have a legal duty to protect others from infection.
