The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda AIDS Commission has been asked to consider refocusing the available HIV prevention messages as a strategic method to re-energize the fight to eliminate the virus by 2030.
The HIV status report by the Uganda Aids Commission indicates that Uganda has recently registered a decrease in the general HIV prevalence from 7.3 to 5.1 per cent. The burden of infections however is still high among teenagers and youth who now account for 70% of the 5,000 new infections the country registers every week.
Resident District Commissioners from the Masaka sub-region as Chairpersons of District HIV/AIDS Coordination Committees; have implored the Uganda Aids Commission to revise the current prevention messages to make them appeal to the youths, who are now at a higher risk of the infection.
During the regional symposium of Districts HIV/AIDS Coordination Committees-DACs, the RDCs observed that a bigger population of the youths have become complacent to the old prevention campaign messages that are not tailored to their generation.
Paddy Kayondo, the RDC and DAC Chairperson for Kalungu district observes that unlike in the early days, the young generation has not witnessed languishing HIV patients, and as a result, they have developed laxity in the face of the threat.
He calls upon UAC to revise the packaging of the HIV prevention campaign and adopt the earlier approach of passing out the messages through, short community and school plays, entertainment skits, and vigorous use of social media among others that can invoke the consciousness of the young to reflect on their social behaviours.
Jane Francis Kagaayi, the Sembabule Resident District Commissioner indicates from their schools’ sensitization visits they have learnt that many students believe many misconceptions about sexuality, which makes them susceptible to the virus.
She explains that for instance, the students are made to believe that virginity is not of any value beyond the age of puberty; as a result, they are lured into sexual intercourse without minding about protection against the virus.
Kagaayi has called upon the Uganda Aids Commission to work out a joint plan with the Ministry of Education and Sports, to establish direct linkages with the schools and pass on messages and age-specific to all youth.
Billy Janet Mulindwa, the Masaka Resident District Commissioner prefers that the secondary schools be also considered for supplies of pre-exposure prophylaxis-PrEP and Post-exposure prophylaxis-PEP commodities as one of the ways of empowering them to curtain the infection spread.
She argues that although the schools’ regulations and social norms are still rigid against sexual intercourse among adolescents, the reality is that the students are fornicating amongst themselves and with teachers, hence silently and innocently spreading the virus.
Mulindwa explains that in addition to strengthening enforcement of internal regulations on morality schools need to be allowed a window to access emergency medical PrEP and PEP supplies strictly for prevention purposes.
Doctor Zepher Karyabagabo, the Director of Policy, Research and Planning at the Uganda Aids Commission observes that they are capturing all the feedback and suggestions which will be discussed at high-level meetings to inform strategic interventions.
He however indicates that the Commission and other partners are strongly emphasizing the test-and-treat approach, and adherence to drugs by the positive persons, explaining that this way, the various can be overpowered through attaining viral load suppression hence curtailing its further spread.
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