Uganda: Nurse taken to court over fake HIV results

Mukono, Uganda.

A nurse in Mukono District has been sued for issuing fake HIV results. 

Ms Jane Birabwe, who is attached to Makula Nursing Home in Kikooza village, Mukono Municipality, on Monday appeared before Grade One Magistrate Roseline Nsenge after she was arrested following an alert from a concerned citizen.

Mr Don Byakatonda, the head of Human Immune Virus Termination Technology Organisation, caused her arrest after Ms Birabwe, a laboratory assistant had allowed to change his HIV-positive results for Shs300,000.

Mr Byakatonda, who is leaving with HIV, acted on a tip off and on February 17, visited the clinic together with a friend [Annet Katusiime] with a view of establishing the rumour. 

“I got a colleague of mine [Annet Katusiime] who is negative. We went to this clinic. Ms Birabwe first tested me and found out that I was positive. But I pleaded with her that she gives me negative results because I was intending to marry Ms Katusiime,” he said.

“She requested that I give her Shs500,000 to alter my results but we settled for Shs300,000 for which she changed my results,” Mr Byakatonda said. 

After confirming the rumour Mr Byakatonda alerted police, which swiftly arrested Ms Birabwe. 

On Monday, she appeared in court and she re-appear on December 1.

Cases

On the increase. Reports of altered HIV results have been on the increase with the most recent being a nurse in Luweero, who was arrested for issuing fake HIV results to patients. The results are usually changed from positive to negative in exchange for money.