The Deputy Inspector General of Government, Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe, has called on the Uganda Aids Commission to intensify efforts against what she described as growing public complacency toward HIV/Aids, warning that it risks undoing years of progress in the national response.
She made the appeal while delivering the keynote address at the Uganda Aids Commission Candle Light Memorial Day held at Kitante Hill Secondary School under the theme: "Ending Aids by 2030: Embracing the Role of Women."
Twinomugisha cautioned that unless deliberate interventions are taken, Uganda risks seeing its hard-won gains in the fight against HIV/Aids gradually erode due to increasing risky behaviour and reduced public fear of infection.
"In some communities, prevalence is rising again. Risky behaviour is increasing. Among sections of the youth, the fear of HIV has unfortunately reduced because treatment is available. Drug and alcohol abuse are increasing vulnerability. Transactional sex is rising. Early sexual activity is becoming normalised," she said.
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She noted that Uganda's large youth population makes the situation more urgent, warning that complacency could undermine the country's future workforce and economic potential.
Twinomugisha stressed that prevention efforts weaken when communities begin to treat HIV/Aids as no longer a serious threat, despite its continued impact.
The memorial day, organised by the Uganda Aids Commission, is held annually to honour those who have died of Aids-related illnesses and to stand in solidarity with people living with HIV. Participants also light candles in remembrance.
On the theme of this year's event, she emphasised that ending HIV/Aids requires placing women at the centre of the response, noting that they remain key drivers of prevention and care.
"Women are not merely participants in the HIV response. Women have been the backbone of the response," she said.
She further observed that Uganda's HIV/Aids response remains one of Africa's notable public health success stories, crediting openness, community mobilisation, and strong leadership.
According to the Uganda Aids Commission, AIDS-related deaths declined by 61% between 2010 and 2024, from 56,000 to 20,000, while new HIV infections reduced by 45% from 94,000 to 37,000.
"These are not merely statistics--they are lives saved, families preserved, children given another chance to grow up with parents, and communities restored with hope," she said.
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The Minister for the Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda, who attended as chief guest, said the progress achieved in the HIV response reflects sustained government effort but warned that complacency is threatening those gains.
"While we celebrate progress, we must confront the truth with honesty and urgency. Some people are not testing early enough or enrolling for treatment. We must fight this attitude," she said.
The Director General of the Uganda Aids Commission, Nelson Musoba, reaffirmed commitment to strengthening partnerships aimed at expanding the role of women in HIV prevention, treatment, and care.
The event ended with renewed calls for collective responsibility and sustained national commitment to ending HIV/Aids by 2030.
