President Yoweri Museveni has reiterated his call to the youth in
particular and Ugandans in general to avoid reckless behaviour that can
easily lead them to contracting the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
“Avoid reckless behaviour. AIDS spreads through ways that are well known and can be avoided. The most prominent one is promiscuity,” he
observed.
The President was this afternoon officially launching at the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, the ‘Protect the Goal Campaign’ that aims at using sports to pass on HIV messages to the youth in order to stop the spread of the scourge.
The campaign that is spearheaded by the President is supported by the government, all United Nations Organizations and the American
government.
It is part of the Global HIV Campaign that was first launched in
2010 at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa and recently in Brazil. It
targets mainly adolescents and all young people.
President Museveni further advised the youth that in case of failure in
self control, to use condoms. He counseled Ugandans to go for HIV test
and encouraged pregnant women who may be HIV positive, to seek for
drugs that prevent transmission of HIV virus from mother to child
while still in the womb.
Mr. Museveni also advised HIV positive people to get Antiretroviral
(ARVs) that can suppress the virus and make one live longer.

The Launch of ‘Protect the Goal Campaign’ was characterized by a
thrilling curtain-raiser football match between the Cabinet team and
that of Members of Parliament. The Cabinet team, whose goal keeper was the Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Jessica Alupo, lost to MPs by 3 goals to nil.
Later, President Museveni, accompanied by the Education Minister
Jessica Alupo, State Minister for Health, Sarah Opendi, the Ethiopian
Ambassador to Uganda and the United Nations Director Regional Support Team, Eastern and Southern Africa, Professor Sheila TLOU, inspected the Uganda Cranes football team and the Ethiopian National Football team who were tussling it out in their friendly match at Namboole Stadium. Uganda Cranes defeated the Ethiopia side by 3 goals to nil.