Following the recent outcry by religious leaders about increasing HIV infections in Tooro region notably areas of Fort Portal, Kabarole and Kyenjojo, political and health leaders have broken the silence on the disease.
While Uganda as a nation jubilates a tremendous improvement in the fight against HIV/AIDs, Fort Portal continues to register an increase in HIV infections. This is evidenced by the recently concluded 2021AIDs statistics from Uganda AIDs commission-UAC.
According to the Ministry of Health estimates 2020, HIV prevalence among adults (15-49) years in Uganda is 5.4 and the prevalence is higher among females, And according to Catherine Kemigabo the District Health Educator doubling as the HIV focal person Kabarole, the most infected age group is the youth.
Failure by the infected to properly take their ARV’s which keeps the virus awake and enables them to further infect others
Selfishness and the desire by those who are aware of their positive status to stubbornly infect the others
Fear to check up by men who rather send their women to checkup and rely on their results.
Richard Rwabuhinga Chairperson Kabarole speaks on HIV prevalence in the area
Rwabuhinga, appeals to the entire public to stay away from the above acts, which he observes to have waylaid the progress of living in an HIV/ AIDs free community.
He further requests patients to properly take their medication, saying AIDs is not a death sentence, but it can cooperatively be dealt with.
The Kabarole District Chair Person Richard Rwabuhinga
” You can only be sure that you are safe from your own results” added Rwabuhinga.
To the parents whose children are off for school holidays, Rwabuhinga calls for vigilance and care for children, but requests parents to open up to them and alert them on the current dangers of HIV in the world
Health expert reacts
Catherine Kemigabo, has attributed the high prevalence to recklessness and laxity among members, saying people concentrated more on Covid-19.
She also attributed this to improper taking of ARVs that keeps the virus active in the body and enables the infected to infect others.
Catherine Kemigabo the Kabarole District HIV/AIDs Focal person
Kemigabo, adds that also infected pregnant women ignore antenatal services which leads to Early infant Diagnosis
Meanwhile, according to MTCT, only 5.8 % of the infected pregnant mothers infected children during birth which is a reduction and marks a good move in the fight against6 child birth infections.
Wondering why the increase yet there are many ways of preventing it, Kemigabo appealed to the media to help the health sector in re-awakening the public to comply with preventive measures of the deadly disease.
She requested pregnant mothers to take antenatal services seriously, so as to save the unborn, and the general public to watch out for HIV testing & protection
Religious leaders decry high prevalence
Recently, Bishop Muhiirwa of Fort Portal Diocese and Bishop Kisembo of Ruwenzori diocese, noted with concern the increasing HIV prevalence and requested residents to be watchful of and revise their lifestyles.
The two Bishop’s noted that it is not funny for the tourism city to be ranked the 2nd in HIV prevalence.
This they said, does not portray a good picture of Tooro Region.
Tooro’s Oyo Spear heads the end AIDs by 2030 Campaign
Since 2016, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukiidi IV of the Tooro Kingdom in Uganda has been at the verge of having an HIV free Uganda.
Oyo, expressed commitment to ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030 as he accepted the role of Cultural Champion for HIV and AIDS among Young People in Eastern and Southern Africa on 8 September.
King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru-Tooro Kingdom
King Oyo, is the youngest reigning monarch in the world at 30 years and has had significant influence and respect among young people in the eastern and southern Africa region.
Given the fact that the highest infected age group includes the Youth, The king has done a remarkable job in sensitizing the youth about the existence of the disease and has often called for collective efforts in securing an HIV free nation by 2030.
What you need to know.
According to the HIV fact sheet 2021,as of 2020;
New HIV Infections totaled up to 38000;12000.Men (15+) ,21000 Women (15+) and 5300Children (0-14).
1400000 is the total Number of People living with HIV; 480000 Number of Adult Men living with HIV, 820000 number of Adult Women living with HIV and 98000 Children Living with HIV
22000 Annual AIDS related Deaths 8900 Men (15+)9100Women (15+) 4300 Children.
Kabarole including Fort Portal is the 2nd leading with 14.6 population infected after Kalangala district with 18% infected population.
The least infected is Nabilatuk District with 0.2& infected population. Close to Kabarole, Mbarara’s prevalence is also high with Mbarara at 13.1 percent
National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2021-2024
The National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan according to UAC is the guiding document for National HIV and AIDS response for the period 2020/21 – 2024/25 under the theme “Leaving no one Towards Ending AIDS by 2030”.
The plan, lays out strategies and actions to implement high-impact, evidence-informed interventions and innovations through program optimization.
It builds on significant progress achieved during the past five years and responds to gaps identified in the Mid-term Review (MTR) and Joint Annual Reviews (JARs) of previous plans.
It was developed in a participatory consultative manner and is intended for use by all stakeholders at all levels of the National HIV and AIDS response
