Samuel Opio, a police constable attached to Nakilora police post in Rupa Sub-County in Moroto district has committed suicide after he reportedly tested HIV positive.
Prior to his death, Opio, allegedly intimated to his close friends how he could not bear with status of being HIV positive for the rest of his life.
Mr. Jude Nasucha, the district police commander Moroto confirmed the death of Opio describing it as unfortunate.
Mr. Nasucah said Opio died on November 12 at the police post where he was deployed.
“Opio’s colleagues found his body hanging from inside one of the houses near to the police post in Nakiloro trading centre,” he said.
The deceased will be laid to rest at his ancestral home in Napak district in Karamoja subregion.
HIV/Aids officers in the country say that the cases of people committing suicide after testing HIV positive are as a result of stigma in the communities.
“There is still too much stigma and discrimination in the communities against people living with the HIV,” they say.
The number of new HIV infections in Uganda increased by 21% between 2005 and 2013.
In 2015, an estimated 1.5 million people were living with HIV, and an estimated 28,000 Ugandans died of AIDS-related illnesses. As of 2015, the estimated HIV prevalence among adults (aged 15 to 49) stood at 7.1%.2, according to Avert, a global information and advisory body on HIV/aids.
