TASO enrolls back 200 on ART treatment in Gulu

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Aids Support Organization Gulu Regional Care Centre-TASO has enrolled back 200 people on treatment who had abandoned it due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

Michael Ochwo, the centre manager for TASO Gulu says several persons living with HIV who could not afford transport at the time of the lockdown were forced to abandon treatment.

Ochwo says that 200 people have so far been traced and linked for care and treatment again.

He also revealed that the centre was able to get 250 people who tested positive during the period of lockdown and enrolled them on treatment which brings together 8,950 on treatment at the centre.

Betty Okeer Owot, the council representative of HIV positive living at TASO says the center has introduced community drug distribution services to improve on their drug supply.

She has however urged people on treatment to maintain drugs adherence to avoid developing other health complications like multi drug resistance and deaths among others.

However, according to the 2019 annual report by TASO Gulu branch, the center lost 54 people who were on care and treatment.

The 2019 report on health by Gulu district local government indicates that the district has 27,000 HIV positive living with the prevalence of the infection standing at 8.4 percent.

In the report, Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, the LCV chairperson Gulu district says there is a projection of 5,000 new cases of the annual HIV infections in the district.

The report further shows that retention on HIV care and treatment in the district reduced from 80 percent to 72 percent in the subsequent year against the projected target of 95 percent.

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