UGANDA: Edith Nabomba: "They think my baby will be sick...I think this too"

Kampala, 12 January 2009 (PlusNews) - Edith Nabomba is serving a six-month sentence at Luzira Prison in a suburb of Kampala, Uganda's capital. The prison holds 5,000 prisoners, of which 230 are women. She told IRIN/PlusNews how she was coping with being locked up, pregnant and HIV positive.

"I've been in for one month and a half. I already have four kids and I'm six months pregnant. My husband stays with the kids.

"In 2006 I tested my blood to know my status. My husband also tested. We are both positive.

"My baby will be born here in January. I am on ARVs [life-prolonging antiretroviral treatment], but I'm worried because I'm not sure how the baby will be at birth. No one has told me about how to have a healthy baby. I want to talk to the nurses and ask how to keep healthy.

"It wouldn't be a problem to be HIV positive on the outside, or an inmate who is healthy, but it is hard to be both.

"I want to sleep under a mosquito net, but it is not allowed by prison regulations. Also the ARVs make me take a lot of water so I feel dry when I take them without water. There isn't always enough drinking water here. There are some missionaries who bring extra rations for the sick, but last week they were finished before I had any.

"My husband knows I'm pregnant, but he has not visited. I get some support from relatives, but none from the other inmates. People are discriminating, I'm not comfortable here; they are looking at me. They think my baby will be sick...I think this too."

gg/kr/ks

Theme (s): HIV/AIDS (PlusNews), PWAs/ASOs - PlusNews,

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]