Unsung Heroine- Dr Lydia Mungherera
by AIDS-Care-Watch campaign
According to the latest statistics, in 2005 alone, 3.1 million people lost their lives because of HIV/AIDS-related causes. This sky rocketing statistic each year is evidence that not enough is done in response to the growing AIDS pandemic.
In the midst of this health crisis, and its associated economic, social and political impacts, there are people like, Dr. Lydia Mungherera of Uganda, who have become an inspiration for people living/working with HIV/AIDS.
Lydia’s true motivation came after she discovered her HIV positive status in 1997. At first, she felt helpless, but her inner strength mobilized her to live and strive to help others also affected by HIV/AIDS. According to Lydia,
“After recovery, the fact that God kept me alive when I was on my death bed in 1997 when I was brought back from South Africa to come home to die with a CD4 count of 1 has made me realize that I have a calling in life. I searched my mind for this calling and have discovered that it was to help fellow people living with HIV/AIDS live. Each day that I help anyone else in my position, I get more encouraged to work. Many people are living with stigma and denial especially the elite.
We have no medical Doctor in our country who has revealed their status except me. Seeing my fellow doctors dying in denial keeps me going to try to persuade them to at least go for testing. Being a woman who was saved from death when I have two children gives me the strength to help my fellow women especially in Africa where women bear the brunt of the infection. Having friends like you and many other activists has given me strength to go on. My two lovely children who my late husbands left me with are a great part of my strength thank God that they are both not infected with the virus.”
Lydia has been at the forefront in taking the fight against HIV/AIDS. Since 1998, Lydia has worked in the field of HIV/AIDS doing community work and building the capacity of people living with HIV/AIDS through skills building and increasing their knowledge about HIV/AIDS related issues. She has also been involved in HIV/AIDS advocacy and policy at the local, national and international level.
Some of Lydia’s accomplishments include cofounding “Uganda Cares”, a treatment center at Masaka clinic, which offers free antiretroviral drugs to people livening with HIV. Lydia also started “Mamas Club” in 2003, which is a psychosocial support group for positive mothers. To date, Mama’s club has enrolled 50 mothers with the main aim of skill building, and mentoring couples, and income generation.
In addition, in 2006, she was appointed by World Health Organisation (WHO) to join the 3 by 5 steering committee, and she has attended several WHO meetings as an expert in relation to confidentiality and security of HIV information, counseling and testing, prevention, and treat train and retain (TTR) health workers.
Lydia Mungherera is one of the many unsung heroes, who are leading the fight against HIV/AIDS. They are the true heroes of our times.
ACW dedicates this quote to all the unsung heroes in the fight against HIV/AIDS:
“The world is moved not only by the mighty shoves of the heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker”.
ACW is thankful to Dr Lydia Mungherera, for sharing her story and giving us inspiration and courage in order to overcome challenges that we encounter in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
According to the latest statistics, in 2005 alone, 3.1 million people lost their lives because of HIV/AIDS-related causes. This sky rocketing statistic each year is evidence that not enough is done in response to the growing AIDS pandemic.
In the midst of this health crisis, and its associated economic, social and political impacts, there are people like, Dr. Lydia Mungherera of Uganda, who have become an inspiration for people living/working with HIV/AIDS.
Lydia’s true motivation came after she discovered her HIV positive status in 1997. At first, she felt helpless, but her inner strength mobilized her to live and strive to help others also affected by HIV/AIDS. According to Lydia,
“After recovery, the fact that God kept me alive when I was on my death bed in 1997 when I was brought back from South Africa to come home to die with a CD4 count of 1 has made me realize that I have a calling in life. I searched my mind for this calling and have discovered that it was to help fellow people living with HIV/AIDS live. Each day that I help anyone else in my position, I get more encouraged to work. Many people are living with stigma and denial especially the elite.
We have no medical Doctor in our country who has revealed their status except me. Seeing my fellow doctors dying in denial keeps me going to try to persuade them to at least go for testing. Being a woman who was saved from death when I have two children gives me the strength to help my fellow women especially in Africa where women bear the brunt of the infection. Having friends like you and many other activists has given me strength to go on. My two lovely children who my late husbands left me with are a great part of my strength thank God that they are both not infected with the virus.”
Lydia has been at the forefront in taking the fight against HIV/AIDS. Since 1998, Lydia has worked in the field of HIV/AIDS doing community work and building the capacity of people living with HIV/AIDS through skills building and increasing their knowledge about HIV/AIDS related issues. She has also been involved in HIV/AIDS advocacy and policy at the local, national and international level.
Some of Lydia’s accomplishments include cofounding “Uganda Cares”, a treatment center at Masaka clinic, which offers free antiretroviral drugs to people livening with HIV. Lydia also started “Mamas Club” in 2003, which is a psychosocial support group for positive mothers. To date, Mama’s club has enrolled 50 mothers with the main aim of skill building, and mentoring couples, and income generation.
In addition, in 2006, she was appointed by World Health Organisation (WHO) to join the 3 by 5 steering committee, and she has attended several WHO meetings as an expert in relation to confidentiality and security of HIV information, counseling and testing, prevention, and treat train and retain (TTR) health workers.
Lydia Mungherera is one of the many unsung heroes, who are leading the fight against HIV/AIDS. They are the true heroes of our times.
ACW dedicates this quote to all the unsung heroes in the fight against HIV/AIDS:
“The world is moved not only by the mighty shoves of the heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker”.
ACW is thankful to Dr Lydia Mungherera, for sharing her story and giving us inspiration and courage in order to overcome challenges that we encounter in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
posted by AIDS-Care-Watch at 4:38 pm
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