MY TESTIMONYS – Ekatapan Cellina
I am Ekatapan Cellina, aged 49 years and I am currently living in Nabuin village, Katikekile Sub County – Moroto district.
In 2007, I used to experience too much continued cough. I got concerned and I decided to test for TB and tested TB positive. I was put on treatment for 6 months and I became okay. Later I continued experiencing many sicknesses like malaria, headache and body weakness all the time, so I became suspicious being first wife among the three women of my husband.
One day a team from Moroto Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) led by Sr. Akullo was testing for HIV/AIDS in Singila village. During their outreach I went to test and I was found HIV positive. Then the nurse told me to sit a side. After I was called for counselling and later told me my results being positive. Straight I was given septrine and I went home.
Knowing my HIV status, I left sad but I was not worried because I knew my husband being a soldier and having 3 women anything could happen. So immediately I reached home, I found some people enjoying the local brew made at home and I shared with them of my HIV status. Some people could not believe it and others said I was joking. They did not take me serious until I showed them the drugs I has been given. They then came to believe me.
However, my children and my family members became very concerned. They never feared or discriminated me but instead encouraged and advised me to take my drugs well and always promised to remind me in case I forget. They also supported me with food and advised me not to leave my husband and continued with him.
When I informed my husband about my status and told him to go for HIV test he accepted to go but surprisingly and luckily enough his results turned out to be negative. However, my co-wives never minded and never believed me. I also do not remember if they ever went for an HIV test or not but we still continued staying together with them.
After 6 months, I went To MRRH Maternity ward and I was initiated on ARVs. When I started taking ARVs I felt relieved since my condition started to improve.
One day I shared with my friend Natee Paska about my status and she told me that there was a Sister called Sister Itae in CLHBC Naoi that offered HIV/AIDS services to people infected and affected with HIV/AIDS like counselling and other support. Thereafter, Paska escorted me to her, where she counselled and supported me.
I also registered so I started attending the activities conducted from CLHBC. After seeing the kind of services offered there, I also informed other people in my village who were HIV positive but feared to test and be identified as having HIV. When they saw the way my life had improved and how I was taking my drugs without fear with the support and guidance rendered by HBC most of them admired and they came out and joined HBC. Others were encouraged to test for HIV too and those who were found positive also freely enrolled with HBC.
Finally, the message to people facing the same situation is that: I encourage all those still hiding from stigma and discrimination to come out and start taking their drugs well and avoid stigma. Those who have not yet tested to go for an HIV test and if positive, take medication, eat well and join groups like HBC for positive living. But cautions not to stick on local herbs instead go to the hospital.
To the government, non government organizations and other private well-wishers, I call upon you to support people living with HIV to form saving groups, give businesses and other support thus, will help to address the issue of stigma, discrimination and improve the life’s of PLWHD in the communities especially when we support those who have openly come out to help fight stigma, discrimination among others in different communities.
Ekatapan Cellina