Uganda is making significant strides in the fight against HIV and AIDS, according to UNAIDS Country Director Jackie Makhoka.
Speaking at the national Candlelight Memorial Day held at the Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) headquarters in Ntinda, Kampala, Makhoka commended the country’s progress while warning that continued vigilance is essential, especially among young people.
“We gather today to honor the memory of those lost to AIDS-related illnesses,” Makhoka said.
“In 2010, Uganda recorded 200,000 deaths from AIDS-related complications. By 2023, that number had dropped dramatically to 20,000. This shows Uganda is firmly on track to meet its 2030 goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat.”
The event featured an awareness walk from the Constitutional Square to UAC offices, bringing together hundreds of participants in a show of solidarity.
Free HIV testing was offered at several locations, along route right from the Constitutional Square and at major markets in Nakawa and Ntinda, to encourage citizens to know their status.
Despite these advances, Makhoka cautioned that progress remains fragile.
She said the gains must be safeguarded by everyone, not only government, but also civil society, communities, and individuals.
She acknowledged recent global shifts in funding that have affected HIV responses in many countries but praised Uganda’s resilience.
“We’ve tracked the data closely, and Uganda remains stable. The government has committed to increasing domestic resources to avoid any disruptions in the national HIV response.”
Dr. Nelson Musoba, Director General of the Uganda AIDS Commission, also urged Ugandans to get tested and seek treatment early.
“We all need to know that HIV and AIDS is still here with us, there are still new infections, know your status. If you are HIV positive start on treatment immediately because there are benefits to starting on treatment immediately, that is what World Health Organisation (WHO) calls test and treat,” he added.
He explained that while past treatments were delayed due to concerns about drug toxicity, today’s modern antiretrovirals are safer and more effective.
He said they now follow the WHO’s ‘test and treat’ approach, immediate treatment after diagnosis.
Dr. Musoba stressed the importance of prevention, particularly among high-risk groups such as long-distance truck drivers, sex workers, and men who have sex with men.
He cited a range of preventive strategies including the well-known ABC approach (Abstinence, Being faithful, and Condom use), as well as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for vulnerable populations.
“We have known HIV prevention methodologies including our old and known ABC (Abstinence, being faithful and being able to use condoms consistently and correctly, and also ensuing that we live a stigma free environment); there is also what is known as the PrEP which is prevention methodology targeting those who are at risk of acquiring HIV,” he noted.
He stressed that there are those of “us who either because of their profession, where we live, the things we do” are categorised as vulnerable populations.
“You know if your spouse is going to be away, may be they are long distance truck drivers, may they work in the mining industry, may be they are engaged in work that puts them at risk and when they come back you do not know with whom they have been. It is important to be on PrEP so that you are protected,” he noted.
Growing threat among youth
He stressed that while the overall prevalence has declined from 18% in the 1990s to 5.1% today, Uganda is seeing a worrying trend: rising infection rates among young people.
In 2023 alone, there were 38,000 new HIV infections, and one-third of these were among adolescents aged 15 to 24.
“Out of every five new infections among young people, four are girls,” Musoba revealed.
“So, you can see it is a real threat, because as a country we are talking about modernisation, productivity, industrialisation, so we need to see the young people healthy and alive and we wouldn’t want them to get infected. That is why we are here to message to Ugandans, we get them to get this information and they protect themselves,” he added.
Musoba also highlighted how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted momentum toward reaching the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets by closing schools, which had been a safe space for many adolescents.
He stressed that the disruption led to increased vulnerability and hindered prevention efforts.
Musoba reassured the public that Uganda has effectively managed challenges posed by recent changes in U.S. foreign aid policies on HIV and AIDS.
He explained that though the USAID structure is still under review, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) which is an agency of the US Government is now the main delivery of their support,” he added.
He commended the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance for identifying domestic funding sources to keep the national HIV/AIDS response uninterrupted.
Uganda’s progress in combating HIV/AIDS is a testament to years of coordinated effort and resilience. However, the rising rate of new infections among adolescents, particularly young women, calls for renewed urgency and targeted interventions.
