A nurse in Uganda is charged with attempted murder after allegedly spreading HIV to hospital patients.
Rosemary Namubiru, 64, has been called the "killer nurse" by Uganda press for her bizarre actions. The nurse, who is HIV positive, allegedly injected her blood into a two-year-old patient, reports Fox News . The nurse was denied bail and her trial is currently underway.
The trial has provoked AIDS-Free World, an advocacy group, to take a closer look at the case in support of Namubiru, who they claim has been misrepresented in the media. According to the group, Namubiru was trying to give an injection to an upset child when she accidentally poked her finger with the needle. Namubiru gave herself a bandage and then returned to give the injection, which startled the child's mother who believed the nurse was using the same contaminated needle. The child's mother ordered a blood test be done on the nurse, which came back positive for HIV. If convicted, the nurse will face up to seven years in prison.
The case has stirred discussions on the rights of people with HIV and AIDS, especially in a country that has been praised for its efforts in fighting the disease. Dorah Kiconco, a Ugandan lawyer who works with the HIV community, doesn't believe the case should have been taken to trial. "She was working and she got into a bad accident and it should have been treated as such," Kiconco said. "She's on trial because of her HIV status."
Uganda has made headlines recently for signing a law against homosexuality, as TheCelebrityCafe.com reported.