Low funding accelerating HIV prevalence in Ntugamo District

By Moses Ntare

The suspension of funding District HIV/AIDS committees by the Uganda AIDS commission in Ntungamo district has accelerated the spread of the scourge.

This was revealed by the Nhungamo district health officer Dr. Bakamuturaki Richard while launching the Priorities for Local AIDS Control Efforts (PLACE) held at Ntungamo resort hotel on Saturday.

Dr.Bakamuturaki is worried that HIV/AIDS in Ntungamo district might double since they do not have resource to fund related activities as district.

He noted that Uganda AIDS commission in partnership with USAID was funding many project in the district aimed at sensitizing and curbing the scourge like advocacy for better health (ABH) and district HIV committees up to the grass root level.

Dr Bakamuturaki noted that the scourge has already gone up in few months due to lack of apparatus saying that over 36,500 people are living with HIV out 500,000people in the district.

However, he expressed optimism that this new project known as Priorities for Local AIDS Control Efforts (PLACE) will bring a smile to many face because it targeting the local people in the villages.

The PLACE in a pilot study being funded by USAID and implemented by Makerere University College of health science in conjunction with University of North Carolina Population Center in 25 districts in Uganda including Ntungamo to identify and maps venues attended by persons who have high rates of new sexual partnerships  in local areas.

According to Sempera Hassan the researcher at Makerere University College of public health noted they are targeting places where people meet new sexual partners especially men aged 35-49 years and identify the most gaps in HIV prevention among the populations most likely to acquire and transmit HIV.

The committees of six people were selected headed by the district health officer to implement the project for 28 days in 27 sub counties and town councils in Ntungamo district.