Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi

The launched strategies by the vice president, H.E. Edward Kiwanuka Sekandiinclude, the national HIV prevention strategy, Prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV strategy.

Speaking at the launch of the strategies, Sekandi cautions the experts to be extra careful as they implement these new preventive tools noting that they have to fully inform nationals that the disease is still with us.

 But the health minister, Christine Andoa reveals that govt is to sign US.$.270M to be used in fighting malaria, T.B and other related disease which tend to break down the persons’ system when infected with the disease adding that much emphasis is to be put on islands.

However, the chairman, Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) Prof. Vinand Nantulya challenges teachers to re-embark on teaching pupils and student the dangers of the disease and preventive methods as it was it the past.

He also stresses that men are now leading in transmitting the disease to their wives and children which now calls for change in men’s behaviors.

By Isaac Senabulya

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Dr. Kihumuro Apuuli, head of Uganda Aids Commision

Musa Bungudu, the Country  Director of UNAIDS, the UN body responsible for HIV/AIDS, told a joint press Conference at Parliament that unprotected sex and mother to child transmission are still leading dangers in the spread of HIV/AIDS.

He says much emphasis needs to put to see that the trend of unprotected sex and mother to child transmission of HIV are brought down in the Country and the World at large.

In a related devolopment the Uganda Aids Commission Director Dr Kihumuro Apuuli expressed fear that the AIDS scourge in Uganda is still growing high despite efforts by Government to sensitize the masses on preventive measures.

Dr. Kihumuro says the aids prevalence among the married couples, boda boda riders, prostitutes among others is still high and something must be done to bring the high prevalence down.

Dr Kihumuro also said the government must take over the funding of Aids programmes in the Country because most donor Countries are pulling out and other are threatening to pull out which he said puts a big risk especially to people who are now on treatment and cannot meet the cost of buying the life prolonging ARV drugs.

By Isaac Senabulya

The post Uganda urged to tackle HIV transmission drivers to reduce prevalence first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Officials from the ministry of Health revealed that the prevalence of safe male circumcision must be increased from the current 25 % to at least 40% to have a remarkable impact against new HIV Infections in the country.

Dr. Alex Opio from the Ministry of Health says that Scientific studies both in Uganda and beyond have proved that Safe Male Circumcision reduces the chances of *HIV* and other Sexually Transmitted infections by 60%.

He says that with the Safe Male Circumcision that primarily targets males between 14- 55 years will supplement the existing prevention strategies to tremendously reverse the 6.4% HIV prevalence.

The senior Medical Officer at the Health Ministry Dr Albert Okui explains that the government policy in place aims at increasing the scale of safe male circumcision as a new tool of reducing HIV infections.

He however noted the ministry of health is still battling with the culture and religious myths among the public surrounding Safe Male Circumcision despite the numerous health benefits associated with the practice of male circumcision.

Ultimate Media

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The circumcision being offered free of charge has been launched in Mukono by the Makerere Walter Reed Project and will be continuous as one of the protective measure by the international health agency to scale down HIV contraction.

Speaking to some of the male soon after undergoing the males medical circumcision men in the benefitting district of Mukono had this to say.

 Mukono HIV/AIDS officer Dr. Anthony Konde asks all sexually active males in the district to come and benefit from the free services.

Meanwhile, Dr. Fred Magala, the project coordinator for Walter Reed Project says they are targeting to circumcise 4 million men in the next 5 years period.

Ultimate Media

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Noah Birime, 47, was arrested yesterday evening after allegedly being found defiling a 12-year-old girl. It was also found that Birime is HIV positive and might have infected the girl with HIV. The victim had reportedly gone to fetch water at the nearby water source.

According to the mother of the minor, Ms Nambi Irene, her daughter had been sent to fetch water at the nearby water source but heard an alarm in the nearby bush, which forced her to follow.

She says that by the time she reached the scene, she found Birime in the act of defiling the girl. Nambi said she made an alarm which attracted residents to come in and arrest the prison warder.

Birime reportedly admitted to the accusation while at Kamuli central police station and pleaded to be given a light penalty.

The officer in charge of criminal investigations at Kamuli central police station, Patrick Isiiko says the medical report from the hospital reveals that Birime was HIV positive adding that he will be taken to court and charged with defilement and infecting a minor with HIV.

It is not clear whether Birime knew he was HIV positive. Uganda Parliament is currently considering a law proposed to punish people who knowingly infect others with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

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boda boda riuders

This according to the survey carried out by crane survey on 694 boda boda riders in Kampala of which 68% were married and 56% had fathered children.

The survey released to boda boda leaders in Kampala at Fairway hotel did not compare with earlier studies since HIV among boida boda riders had never been studied.

The project coordinator Crane survey George Muwonge Lubwama said that 79% of the boda boda riders interviewed have ever used a condom and 3% had sold sex to women.

Muwonge called for HIV Prevention education programmes targeting boda boda riders in Kampala to reduce on the number of boda boda riders getting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The report also indicates that 4% of boda boda riders in Kampala are engaged in homosexuality.

At 7.5%, the boda boda community is more prone to HIV infection, compared to the national HIV prevalence average of about 6.7%.

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Mpuga reveals that the AIDS department in Kabarole district is not fully facilitated to carry out sensitization programs especially among the youths.

He observes that most people in the rural areas are still ignorant about HIV spread, which he says has remained a challenge.

Speaking to journalists in Fort Portal, Mpuga said the trend of rural urban migration is also increasing HIV spread since people go to cities ignorant of HIV spread and easily catch the virus.

He says even when those who are infected return to their home villages, it is easy for them, especially the men to take advantage of young girls in rural areas.

By Sunday Rogers

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The research carried out by the Uganda network of AIDS Services Organizations indicate that over 3000 people are need of Antiviral drugs but cannot access them.

The much needed ARV drugs

The executive director of the Uganda network of AIDS Services Organizations Bharam Namanya says many donors like PEPFAR, the Global Fund and others, who had been providing ARVs, are reducing the assistance because of the current credit crunch.

Namanya notes that due to limited Anti Retroviral drugs a number of people living with HIV are not on treatment reducing their chances of surviving.

He says the little drugs in place cannot easily be accessed due to bureaucracy in ministry of health to access them.

By Olive Eyotaru

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Kwanya says that the police force has the ability to spread the massage of fighting the scourge since all officers were trained to be change agents.

The RPC calls upon all police officers to avoid temptations that may lead them to acquire AIDS citing prostitutes, poverty, and  transfers which separate them from there spouses living them vulnerable to temptations.

Kwanya made the remarks at the opening of a five day workshop organized by Spear under World Vision and Research Triangle International funded by USAID for police officers from districts of Kabarole, Kamwenge, Kasese and Bundibugyo to educate them how they can change their behaviors and the community to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS held at Kijaguzo hotel Kabundaire in Fort Portal Municipality.

Sister Kyeyune from Uganda police headquarters says that police was reorganized as the most risky institution to be affected by AIDS.

She advises police men to practice male circumcision which is going to be done country wide as a way of reducing the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

By Rogers Sunday

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Hope Turyasingura

The HIV/PEP is   an emergency medical response consisting of short term antiretroviral medicines in all health centers in the country to prevent victims of rape and defilement from the risk of being infected by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Addressing a press briefing in Kampala, the Technical Adviser for CEDOVIP, Hope Turyasingura said that rape and defilement is common in the country and measures like PEP should be widely availed throughout the country. She quotes the Uganda police report for 2010 which indicates that a total of 7564 defilement and 707 being rape cases were reported.

“The majority survivors are young girls, yet health workers are not aware about their role in offering pep services to the victims,” Turyasingura said.

She urged the ministry of health to make sure that survivors of rape and defile receive Hiv/pep as a way of minimizing risks of HIV infection. Turyasingura says this can be through both increased public awareness and training the health workers on management of pep.

By Isaac Senabulya

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