“I was infected with HIV in 1985 and everyone thought I would die soon, when I consulted the doctor, he told me that l would die in less than three years. Stigma and discrimination were at their peak and there was no counselling. I saw [singer] Philly Bongole Lutaaya being eaten up by the disease till he became a skeleton and died, so I decided to go to TASO,” said Rubaramira, the director of Health and Community Outreach Campaign at Operation Wealth Creation.
“I even attempted to kill myself but was saved by my son who saw me pointing a gun to my head and asked me what l was doing. I answered that I was just testing [the gun] and had to put the gun down,” he added.
Rubaramira was picked to be AIPHP goodwill ambassador for his experience and consistent record of advocacy in health education activities. African Institute of Public Health Professionals is a continental assembly of vibrant and solution – oriented health care professionals of diverse specialties and cultural identities. It believes in the future of Africa, built, maintained and sustained by Africans.
At Rubaramira’s installation function held at Operation Wealth Creation offices in Kamwokya on July 23,, every speaker applauded the major’s immense works on the HIV/Aids sensitisation drive.
Cavendish University Vice Chancellor Prof John F. Mugisha said Rubaramira, through self-study, managed to become a self-made expert on HIV/Aids prevention, health promotion and a specialist in coordination and management of public health programmes and health policy.
“A retired major of the UPDF and a freedom fighter, he has since the age of 37 devoted his life, skills and personal resources to the fight against HIV/Aids. He is now 71 and has not given up on the struggle,” Prof Mugisha said.
“The story about Uganda’s success in combatting HIV/Aids cannot be told without mentioning his name and contribution,” he said, adding that Rubaramira has also invested heavily in self-study to acquire more knowledge about the pandemic.
In his acceptance speech, Rubaramira Ruranga said he will create more awareness about HIV/Aids and other related diseases like tuberculosis.
“I am going to take on Tuberculosis. As long as I still have life, people shouldn’t fear TB. People with TB are so discriminated against yet it’s not a sexually transmitted disease but, rather, an airborne disease. It’s gotten in big gatherings like churches, taxis and most people fear testing for the disease, which leads to death due to malnutrition and poor hygiene,” Rubaramira added.
“I think we live in ignorance. People don’t seem to address the issues they have to. So, somebody has to come out, as the ambassador of public health; I will use this position to create awareness that prevention is a better way because it will give us 80 per cent of cure while medicine only provides 20 per cent. The public health ministry has to focus on disease prevention…,” he said.
Rubaramira is a retired UPDF major who has devoted his life, skills and personal resources to the fight against HIV/Aids in Uganda since he was 37 years of age.
