LUCKY P
Authorities in Kabarole District have intensified efforts to combat the rising rate of HIV infections, calling for coordinated action among stakeholders and communities.
During a stakeholders’ engagement held on Tuesday at New Fort View Hotel in Fort Portal, leaders expressed concern over the district’s HIV prevalence rate, which stands at 9.4%, significantly higher than the national average of 5.1%.
Wycliff Muhumuza, a Project Officer with the AIDS Control Program, noted that despite the implementation of key interventions such as Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) clinics, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PREP), and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), infection rates remain high.
He attributed the trend to persistent barriers that hinder effective prevention and treatment efforts and called for more coordinated and targeted strategies to address the challenge. Participants at the engagement identified several behavioral and social factors driving the spread of HIV, including commercial sex work, widespread myths and misconceptions about sex, moral decline, and poor parenting.
Kabarole District Chairperson, Dr. Richard Rwabuhinga, emphasized the need to scale up viral suppression efforts by ensuring that people living with HIV adhere consistently to their medication. He also cautioned some religious leaders against spreading misleading information that discourages patients from continuing treatment.
He further called for improved communication and packaging of messages around preventive services such as PrEP and PEP to ensure that they are well understood and accessible to communities at the grassroots level.
Assistant RDC Mike Mukiibi stressed the importance of parental involvement in the fight against HIV. He urged parents to take an active role in guiding their children through open and honest discussions about HIV/AIDS.