Man Receives $53k Compensation After Wrongful HIV Diagnosis For 7 Years
- John Wataka awarded 190 million shillings after wrongful HIV diagnosis by TASO
- TASO found negligent for keeping Wataka on unnecessary ARVs for seven years
- Court highlights severe psychological and economic impacts of misdiagnosis on Wataka
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
A Ugandan man, John Wataka, has received 190 million shillings ($53,000) in damages from Aids Support Organisation (TASO) after he was wrongly diagnosed as HIV‑positive.
Wataka was placed him on ARVs for seven years, despite him being HIV‑negative.
Source: Getty Images
As ported by DW Africa, a Ugandan High Court found TASO negligent for keeping him on treatment from 2016 to 2023.
The court said it is a mistake that caused serious psychological, social, and economic harm.
Wataka only discovered the error in 2022 after independent tests confirmed he did not have HIV.
The court noted he suffered the breakdown of his marriage, loss of employment, stigma, and deep emotional trauma due to the misdiagnosis.
An additional 50 million shillings was awarded for negligent diagnosis and dispensing of medication he did not need.
Reactions as man receives compensation for wromg HIV diagnosis
Kisakye Kisa
There must be more to this story than what’s being told. Someone doesn’t just get started on ARVs without being tested for HIV and it’s not just a single positive test. It has to be verified a couple of times. Someone’s CD4 count and viral load also has to be monitored. So how did TASO fail to do this?
Yohana Malish
Do they have the 1st sample collected since 2016 or before enrollment was he confirmed as p24negative or positive additionally what was this man viral load since 2016-2026
Or this is how the court is misjudging Dr kizza besigye.
Becky Nkhoma Kwenge
To my understanding positive clients undergo routine investigation annually and it's highly unlikely that when they diagnosed him in 2016 he was already suppressed... They can't miss it for all those years .. something doesn't add up,
Dagula Micheal
That is a good money I think after hearing this the wife is already on her way back to his husband.
Stella Adyeri
If someone is hiv negative, there will be no virus in blood,, so viral load will not be detected even if taking ARVS,,
And if someone is positive and taking arvs, these will suppress the virus and viral load will be undetectable meaning it's now low
Just confusing
Source: Twitter
Rivers, Benue, Akwa Ibom lead Nigeria's HIV burden
Recall that new HIV data from NACA shows Rivers, Benue, and Akwa Ibom have the highest number of cases, with over 2 million people living with HIV nationwide.
While treatment access has improved, a major gap remains in mother-to-child prevention, with only a third of pregnant women in need receiving ART.
The Federal Government has allocated billions in funding to sustain HIV treatment amid concerns over international aid cuts.
How man found out he had HIV
Legit.ng also reported that a Nigerian man shared a story of how he felt the day he went to the hospital and found out that he was HIV positive.
The man said before that date, he had been falling sick repeatedly and there was no quick recovery despite treatment.
According to the man named Chika, he finally went to do a total health check-up and he found out he was HIV positive.
Source: Legit.ng
