KAMPALA – The Government of Uganda established the Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) in March 1992 by an Act of Parliament 208 to coordinate the national HIV multi-sectoral response. According to the Uganda Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (UPHIA 2016), Uganda has made significant progress in fighting the epidemic. HIV prevalence decreased to 6.0% in 2016 from 7.3% in 2011.
Currently, Uganda is ranked among the first 14 countries globally to have achieved the UNAIDS 2nd and 3rd targets i.e. 90% of all People living with HIV being put on treatment and 90% of those on the treatment being viral suppressed.
Dr Nelson Musoba the Director-General of UAC says that this has positioned Uganda on track to achieve the ambitious goal of ending AIDS as a Public Health Threat by 2030.
However, In spite of this progress, the HIV and AIDS epidemic remains a major public health threat in Uganda with an estimated 1.4 million People Living with HIV, 53,000 new HIV cases registered annually, and an estimated 21,000 Ugandans have died of AIDS-related illnesses (UNAIDS 2019). Young women, in particular, are disproportionately affected and this is threatening the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has constantly cautioned the public to guard against the reversal of the gains made and ensure that the country remains on course to end AIDS as a public health threat in Uganda by 2030.
Uganda like the rest of the world has been battling with COVID-19 pandemic which has stifled the fight against HIV/AIDS.
This years’ World AIDS Day commemoration will be carried out scientifically in compliance with the Presidential directives on prevention of COVID-19.
The effects that COVID19 is imposing on the national response to HIV and AIDS has tailored the theme to National solidarity and a shared responsibility towards ending AIDS.
Therefore to make the commemoration theme a reality on 1st December, both countrymen and women have been requested to be responsible for their lives as they test for HIV with their partners and together irrespective of the results decide to prevent HIV.
The Government has promised to continue providing a conducive enabling environment and access to HIV services to all the PLHIV in Uganda during and post COVID 19.
The Uganda Aids Commision also urged stakeholders to make HIV services freely accessible to promote health well-being and rights all time.
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