The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Teenagers Living with HIV/AIDS in Luwero district are still lagging behind in suppressing their viral load compared to adults, a health official has revealed. In 2014, the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS-UNAIDS announced an ambitious strategy of 95-95-95 with the aim of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
The strategy aimed at achieving 95% diagnosis among all people living with HIV (PLHIV), 95% on antiretroviral therapy (ART) among diagnosed cases and 95% virally suppressed (VS) among those on ART treatment. An intermediate goal of 90-90-90 was set for 2020.
Uganda embraced the strategy to curb HIV/AIDS infections. In line with the strategy, Luwero District Health officials say they were on course to achieve all the targets but the biggest challenge remains with people living with HIV/AIDS between 10-19 years.
Dr. Innocent Nkonwa, the Luwero District Health Officer reveals that 103% of people living with HIV/Aids that is above the 95 % target were diagnosed and know their HIV/AIDS status. He says 95% of these have been enrolled on antiretroviral therapy and 86% have suppressed the viral load in their bodies.
Nkonwa says the viral load suppression rates were better among adults compared to children and adolescents. He says the adolescents and children were performing poorly in suppressing the viral load because they are dependent on others, who sometimes don’t help them to access treatment.
He says that they are now planning to recruit youth peer supporters and school clubs to encourage the adolescents to suppress the viral load.
Olivia Namukwaya, the Kasoma zone Youth Affairs Secretary in Luwero town council, says some adolescents abandon ARVs to lack of continuous counselling and stigmatization among peers.
Fred Ssegawa, a volunteer with the Youths Friendly Corner at Luwero Hospital, says they have designated Two days in a week to create awareness and counsel the adolescents living with HIV/AIDs to stay on ARVS so as to suppress their viral load.
A report by Luwero District shows that 1,907 out of the 54,985 individuals who tested for HIV/AIDS tested positive. Of these 1,651 patients were linked to care in 2019/2020 financial year.
There are over 35,021 persons living with HIV in Luwero district. According to the 2018 survey conducted by Luweero District Health Department and Makerere University School of Public health, Luweero town registered the highest HIV/AIDS Prevalence rate standing at 25.2 % whereas Kikyusa town council came second with 19.8%.
Kamira Sub County stood at 18.8 %, Wobulenzi town at 18.4%, and Kanyanda trading center 8.6%. On Average the district HIV/AIDs prevalence rate stood at 7.2% above the national average of 6.2%.
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