Authorities in Mbarara District are deeply concerned about the growing number of young girls being drawn into commercial sex work.
Girls are aged between 18 and 25, the majority of them from Rubindi-Ruhumba Town Council and surrounding areas like Kashongi and Buhweju are turning to the world's oldest profession.
During a meeting today with Mbarara District officials, the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders, Francis Karugaba, the mayor of Rubindi-Ruhumba, said the majority of the girls start by working in bars.
"Then they are forced into sex work and drugs," the mayor said.
He emphasized the gravity of the situation, warning, "Stop forcing young girls who work in bars into sex work."
The HIV prevalence in Mbarara among sex workers is particularly alarming, reaching 54%, well above the national rate of 33%.
Gerald Pande, a health worker with the Ministry of Health under the AIDS Control Programme and Programme Officer under STI Key Population Programming, highlighted, the HIV prevalence in sex workers in the country is about 33% higher than the general population, which is at 5.1%.
"Among men who sleep with men, HIV prevalence is around 12.7%, and among transgender individuals, it's about 16%," he said.
"People who inject drugs have a prevalence of 17%. As the ministry, we target such groups because they face a lot of stigma and discrimination."
Pande emphasized the urgency of targeting key populations.
"If we are to end HIV/AIDS by 2030, we must target key populations where we have a high burden of HIV/AIDS and its transmission due to the number of sexual partners they have," he said.
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Dr Christopher Nahabwe, Mbarara District's HIV/AIDS focal person, shared the district's approach to fight HIV/AIDS.
"We have resorted to small group sensitization through dialogues," he said.
He cited efforts with bar owners, schools, and religious leaders, saying, "We have done meetings with bar owners teaching them about HIV transmission.
"We have also conducted sensitization in schools and dialogues with district leaders. We are now moving to the Subcounty level to engage Subcounty leaders and religious leaders."
Majorie Nakimuri, Program Officer at the Most At Risk Population Initiative, emphasized the importance of inclusivity: "Key populations are people who stay in our community, and they need our help. Key populations are also Ugandans and are entitled to benefit from government programs."
She also pointed out the challenges of stigma, saying, "Due to stigma, key populations have embraced testing at hotspots, which makes them comfortable because it's their space, rather than going to health centers."
Efforts to tackle sex work and its associated risks in Mbarara continue, with a focus on reducing stigma, providing access to healthcare, and protecting vulnerable individuals from exploitation.
Amidst all these efforts, Global Fund stressed the shared responsibility in tackle this challenge noting, "We are committed to continue funding the response in this country. However, this is a shared responsibility."
As Uganda works toward its goal of ending HIV/AIDS by 2030, addressing the needs of these high-risk populations remains crucial.
