People living with HIV AIDS in Eastern Equatoria State are tormented with social stigma of the virus and many victims refuse to attend to voluntary counselling and testing.
Richard Ochak is the director of HIV and sexually transmitted infections in Eastern Equatoria. He told Bakhita Radio that people living with the virus in his state do not want to turn up for treatment, care and support.He said 623 people in his state are HIV positive, including 27 children under 14 years of age.
Data from Torit Central Hospital reveals that Nimule leads the state with 437 people infected.
Torit, the state capital, has 162 infected people while Kapueta has only 24.
The figures do not reveal the exact number of infected people in the state since some patients prefer to receive treatment in Juba and Kampala, in Uganda.
Eastern Equatoria hosts only three health facilities with 14 centres for testing and counselling to cater for the growing health demands of the people living with HIV.
Mr. Ochak called upon the state government to advocate for the rights of the people living with HIV AIDS and the entire community in order for the patients to be tested and treated avoiding stigma.
Regina Eiyo, a person living with HIV AIDS, lamented serious discrimination and abuse from the community towards people carrying the virus.