Manafwa District to host World Aids Day celebrations

By Stephen Kalema

Manafwa District will host this year’s World Aids Day celebrations due December 1.
Dr Joshua Musinguzi, the Aids Control Programme manager at the health ministry said this year’s celebrations will be held under the theme “Know your status”.

This will be the 30th anniversary since December 1 was designated as World Aids Day on 1988.
According to Dr. Musisnguzi, President Museveni is expected to be chief guest.
He also noted that HIV infections are more in Central region districts.

“This is mainly because most of them have taken less responsibility to safeguard themselves. And because this is the central business region, most people come and settle here,” Dr Musinguzi said, adding that people living in West Nile have taken serious measures to protect themselves.

Also, children suffering from HIV find it difficult to swallow medicines because they are bitter.
Latest statistics from Usaid, indicate that Uganda has over 1. 4 million people living with HIV/Aids, with the most affected being females.
In 2017, an estimated number of people living with HIV was 1.3 million people – according to Uganda Aids Commission. Last year, an estimated 26,000 Ugandans died of Aids related illnesses. Also, last year only 949,000 adults were on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). Over 50,000 Ugandans acquired HIV infections in 2017, children living with HIV the number is 130,000 persons where only 88,400 children are only on ART programme.

Worldwide Aids has killed between 28.9 million people and 41.5 million people since its discovery. About 36.7 million people worldwide are estimated to be living with HIV, making it one of the most important global public health issues in recorded history. The recent improved access to Antiviral treatment in many regions of the world means the death rate from the Aids epidemic has decreased as per the United Nations report on Health.