By Peter Ssebulime
Kampala: HIV/AIDS is still a public threat in the country that kills majority of the population and as one of the mitigation measures, government has unveiled the Presidential Media Campaign on Ending AIDS 2030.
This was revealed today Wednesday, October,16, 2019 by the minister for Presidency Esther Mbayo, during the launch of ‘End AIDS 2030 UG’ campaign, held at Uganda Media Centre, as part of the presidential fast-track initiatives launched in 2017, which both aimed at ending HIV/AIDS by 2030 in Uganda.
According to Mbayo, over the last three decades, Uganda has battled the AIDS pandemic with great success, reducing HIV prevalence from a national average of 18% in the 1990s to 6% by 2016.
She noted however that “A recent review indicated that the burden is still huge with 1000 people getting newly infected with HIV and 500 people dying of AIDS related illness every week.”
Minister Mbayo added that; ” It is against this background that the President has provided a set of public awareness HIV/AIDS massages that are meant to contribute to ongoing efforts in ensuring that the country is able to meet our Global Targets of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.”
She continued; “The President is reminding us that the main causes of HIV are known and therefore it can easily be avoided by observing some simple behavioural aspects such as; delaying sex especially for young people until one is of age and ready for consequences of sex, being faithful to each other for adults who are in consenting relationships, among others.”
Dr. David Bagambe, from Uganda AIDS Commission said they are currently on trials of vaccines of HIV/AIDS until the right one is got.
Meanwhile Dr. Karusa Kiragu, the UNAIDS country director, appealed to the general public not to be distracted from their urgency, because AIDS is not over and acceleration of prevention must be done, so as to make it possible for people to become virally suppressed.
