Evelyn Lirri
1 December 2007
analysis
Kampala — Since it was diagonised in Uganda over two decades ago, one million people have died due to Aids in Uganda.
Another 1.2 million are currently living with HIV/Aids.
According to the latest National HIV Sero Behavioural Survey by the Ministry of Health, at least 132,500 people got infected with HIV/Aids in 2005 alone, with 27,000 of them getting infected through peri-natal transmission while the majority got infected through heterosexual sex.
From a prevalence rate of 30 per cent in the early 1990s to about seven per cent in recent years, this has been a great success that the country registered as it took a bold step to address the epidemic at a time when most countries feared to talk openly about HIV/Aids.
With a strong leadership and commitment to tackle the epidemic, Uganda has received international acclaim as a role model in the fight against HIV/Aids.
Several interventions were put in place at the time to address the problem.
The country's highly successful 'ABC' (Abstinence, Be faithful and Condom use) policy to addressing the scourge has also been replicated in several countries and has helped avert thousands of infections, especially among the youth.
Uganda thus became one of the few countries in the world to have registered a dramatic decline in reducing prevalence to six per cent in 2000.
As part of the war declared on the epidemic, interventions including voluntary counseling and testing were advocated for.
Information education and communication messages targeting youth and young people were also introduced focusing on mainly school going children with preventive messages including the use of condoms and abstinence.
Buta, while Uganda may have won a few battles, the war against the disease continues.
One of the battles that the country has to grapple with now is the stagnated prevalence.
Today, as the country and the world mark World Aids Day, the overall progress and gains made in the fight against HIV/Aids are now under threat and could see a reversal from the previously registered success.
The day designated internationally to jointly raise awareness on the HIV/Aids epidemic, show support for people living with HIV/Aids and address global efforts being taken to address the epidemic.
According to the Uganda Aids Commission, the theme for this year's celebrations is Leadership for Accelerated Prevention.
UAC says the theme is derived from the decade long broad campaign framework, "Stop Aids Keep the Promise".
"Since the beginning of the epidemic, experience has clearly demonstrated that significant advances in the response to HIV/Aids have been achieved where and when there is a strong and committed leadership," a statement from UAC read.
This year's celebrations will be held at Ggaba Landing Site for Kampala District and Kasensero Landing Site in Rakai District, the place where the first case of HIV/Aids was identified.
While the debate is back on reversing prevention, the Sero survey found that the majority of new infections, accounting about 76 per cent, occurred through sexual transmission where commercial sex contributed to about 21 per cent of casual sex.
Another 14 per cent of infections occurred within marriage and 42 per cent were largely due to extra marital sex.
According to the Sero survey, the epidemic has shifted from the young people between the age 19 to 25 to older, married or formerly married people.
Why increased infections
According to an April 2007 paper on the overview of the response of HIV/Aids edited by UAC Director General Dr Kihumuro Apuuli and Prof. John Rwomushana, people living with HIV/Aids are the major source of infection yet most preventive interventions are usually targeted to only the uninfected people.
According to the Sero behavioural survey, 77 per cent of people living with Aids are sexually active yet only 29 per cent use condoms consistently.
Another reason for increasing infection is the fact that despite the presence of free counseling and testing services, only 13 per cent of Ugandans have ever tested and received their results.
Access to ARVs
Uganda as a country is still experiencing a lot of challenges ensuring universal access to HIV/Aids treatment.
Dr Apuuli says in the paper that the high population growth rate at 3.4 per cent translates to increased need for service delivery coverage.
About 60,000 people out of an estimated 200,000 who need anti retroviral drugs are currently receiving them.
The National Strategic Framework is now putting emphasis on integrating HIV/Aids with reproductive health issues to contribute to the efforts of managing the country's population.
New road map
While the country's efforts have maintained about 92 per cent of the Uganda population free of HIV, the stable prevalence and incidence rates are a source of concern.
It is this that formed the basis for a new five year (2007/8 to 2011/12) HIV//Aids National Strategic plan.
The road map gives an analysis of the risk factors and drivers of the epidemic, an agreed comprehensive prevention package and critical targets for achieving universal access to HIV/Aids prevention.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2007 The Monitor. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
