The Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) has warned that unverified healing testimonies through “prayer’ is undermining the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS, according to a statement seen by APA on Wednesday.
The warning comes following increasing public claims that people previously diagnosed with HIV have been healed after prayers.
The statement acknowledged the important role religious leaders play in providing hope, counseling, compassion and support to people affected by HIV, noting that claims about HIV diagnosis, treatment and cure must be based on scientific evidence.
The commission said there is currently no scientifically validated cure for HIV available for routine clinical use.
It said, instead, HIV can be effectively controlled through antiretroviral therapy (ART), which suppresses the virus, protects the immune system and enables people living with HIV to live long and healthy lives.
The UAC said an HIV diagnosis, or a claim that a person is no longer living with HIV, cannot be established through a prayer experience or a single test result.
It said such cases must be assessed by qualified health professionals using Uganda’s nationally approved HIV-testing algorithm, with further clinical and laboratory investigations where necessary.
The commission said a person who previously tested positive for HIV but later receives a negative result requires careful assessment before any conclusion is made.
The commission has also called upon religious leaders to exercise caution when speaking about alleged HIV cures and not present healing claims as established medical facts unless they have undergone appropriate clinical investigation.
It urged faith leaders to encourage their followers to seek HIV testing from accredited health facilities, begin treatment when diagnosed, attend scheduled medical reviews and continue using appropriate HIV prevention services.
Uganda has a national HIV prevalence rate of nearly 4.9%.
MG/as/APA