Jinja — BENEFICIARIES of the safe water system have shunned it on account of the shape and colour of the containers.

The safe water system (SWS) that is a component of the Basic Care Package (BCP) is part the HIV/Aids care and prevention strategy by Population Services International (PSI) in selected districts.

The water pack is in white jerrycans yet residents say they are used to yellow and green jerrycans. Many also say the shape of the jerrycans is 'strange' and stigmatises them.

This emerged last week during a seminar of health workers and administrators from beneficiary districts on the challenges facing the implementation of the BCP. The HIV/Aids programme is being implemented mainly in Jinja, Mukono and Iganga districts.

The BCP targets people living with HIV/Aids and their families. It is designed to deliver key information and health products to prevent opportunistic infections and reduce HIV transmission to unborn children and sexual partners.

The BCP kit contains two long lasting insecticide treated nets, the SWS (comprising a 20-litre jerrycan, one filter cloth and sodium hypochlorite solution for water treatment), male condoms for adults and information on septrin that controls the opportunistic infections.

Dr Julius Kalamya from Tororo said patients were shying away from receiving the jerrycans.

He said the beneficiaries explained that people are aware the white jerrycans are used by Aids patients and so this would amount to the beneficiaries announcing their sero status.

However, PSI's deputy director in charge of HIV services, Dr Lillian Sekambe, said similar complaints had been raised before and PSI is developing strategies to fight the negative image because the single white colour was chosen for purposes of promoting hygiene.

"We have been involved in discussions regarding the colour of the jerrycan but before we can go for other interventions, the way you are going to deliver the message on the kit to the public has a lot to do with the way it is going to be perceived," she told the health providers.

Dr Sekambe said issuing jerrycans in many different colours would defeat the objective of maintaining hygiene because HIV positive persons are expected to observe high levels of hygiene to keep away opportunistic infections since their immune system is not as strong.

She said PSI would consider having the special white jerrycans made available to the private sector for sale to reduce the stigma.