When looking after people in health-care settings, health-care workers can be exposed to a broad range of infections, including HIV. Accidental exposure to HIV in health-care settings can largely be prevented by countries creating an enabling environment and providing the services that allow health-care workers to protect themselves and others from the risk of HIV infection. However, the use of criminal law can lead to miscarriages of justice.
In Uganda, the High Court of Kampala has released Rosemary Namubiru, a 64-year-old nurse living with HIV who was convicted of negligently exposing a child to HIV while at work. The decision of the High Court to release Ms Namubiru, who has been in detention since January 2014, comes after several months of advocacy and legal procedure.
A coalition of civil society organizations, legal experts and public health professionals led the efforts and, with the support of UNAIDS, engaged the government and the judiciary to advocate for a measured, evidence-informed and rights-based response to the case.
“I am relieved that dignity has prevailed and that Ms Namubiru can return to her family,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé, who joined efforts to support her release. “I thank all those in Uganda and globally who have supported this outcome. Let us continue our efforts to expand evidence and human rights as critical to ending the AIDS epidemic.”
