By Stephen Kalema
Every week, there are at least 950 new infections of Human Immune Virus which causes AIDS in Uganda, according to the United Nations joint programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) current report.
It was revealed at the National HIV prevention symposium in Kampala this week that at least 80% of these new cases are young people.
Dr. Karusa Kiragu the country director UNAIDS, said only 74% get to know their status, and 26% don’t even try to know their status. He added that out of 74% who know their status, 60% are viral pressing and 40% are infectious.
Ms Rose Malango, UN resident Coordinator said that although the AIDS prevalence in Uganda has reducing to 6.2%, the number of Ugandans acquiring HIV in a week is still alarming.
“We have always addressed these issues of HIV without indulging in young people and they are now facing it rough. It’s high time we bring every age on board and we talk about this because 40% of Ugandan youth don’t know about AIDS,” said Malango.
The UN country coordinator also said Uganda has to do more since donor support for fighting AIDS in Uganda was dropping year after year yet there is much work needed especially amongst young people.
Ms Namusoke Asia Mbajja, founder of People In Need Agency (PINA) said the number of people acquiring HIV was of great concern.
“The much effort we have put in fighting this disease, if you can still see this number, that calls for national collective responsibility because for sure most of things have been done to the satisfaction, the target must be youth who now only fear pregnancies but not HIV,” said Mbajja.
According to Mbajja, young people have to be at the frontline since now they are the target to secure, they must know that lifetime medication is not easy.
Dr. Stephen Watiti from Mildmay blamed government for ignoring prisons.
“As we look at this number we have also to put it in our minds that in prisons there are serious people with HIV but we have not taken that step also to take care of them if we are to reduce this number. Let’s leave no stone unturned,” said Watiti.
One of the identified reasons for this alarming number according to Dr. Nelson Musoba, Director General, Uganda AIDS Commission, is the increasing numbers of drug resistant patients who remain infectious even if on drugs, as well as the percentage of people who don’t want to test and know their status.
“We need more concerted efforts in high risk key population and priority population like sex workers, injection drug users, long distance drivers adolescents and young men,” said Musoba.
Ms Evelyn Nakato one of youth activists under PINA said that young people and entertainment population have been left out in planning strategies of fighting AIDS. “We need to call also the entertainment industry to be in this struggle, many of them have died of this disease and those living have followers who will believe in what they say. We just need to involve them,” said Nakato.
Currently HIV prevalence in adults aged 15-64 is higher in females (7.6%) compared to males (4.7%). HIV/Aids is more common in women however the men’s death rate is higher.
According to the new report, out 1300,000 people living with HIV, 73% know their HIV positive status and out of those living HIV positive, 74% are on Antiretroviral therapy (ART), 56.9% are virally suppressed. Out of people living with HIV and are on ART, women have the highest proportion above 70%. Uganda has 500 HIV testing sites, and 1658 sites that provide ART.
Last year over 4,000 babies were born with HIV.
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