During the release of the annual joint review report for 2023/2024 at the National HIV and AIDS Symposium, held at the Office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday, Vincent Bagambe, the Director of Planning and Strategic Information at the UAC, revealed that only 75% of children aged 0-14 years and adolescents have tested and know their HIV status.
The Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) has highlighted a significant gap in access to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) services for children and adolescents aged 0-14 years, noting that these groups lag behind in HIV treatment access across the country.
During the release of the annual joint review report for 2023/2024 at the National HIV and AIDS Symposium, held at the Office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday, Vincent Bagambe, the Director of Planning and Strategic Information at the UAC, revealed that only 75% of children aged 0-14 years and adolescents have tested and know their HIV status.
Among them, 80% have achieved viral suppression, compared to 98% of adults who have tested and know their status. Bagambe attributed the lower ART coverage for children to the challenge of identifying infected children and retaining them in care, despite the high HIV testing coverage, which stands at 92% of people living with HIV.
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He emphasized the importance of delivering information to adolescents and young people to ensure they understand that HIV is real and can affect anyone. Dr. Mina Nakawuka, the Director of Advocacy and Public Relations at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, stated that the foundation is intensifying efforts to identify children by expanding service delivery models beyond traditional healthcare facilities.
Nakawuka added that they have launched the Munonye campaign, which aims to reach children in their communities and provide treatment literacy to caregivers to better understand the importance of finding children in need of care. This initiative includes the introduction of self-testing kits for caregivers and peers to administer tests.
Nakawuka also mentioned ongoing collaborations with the Ministry of Education to reach adolescents in schools, as some children miss treatment because they are at school.
In her remarks, Nakawuka pointed out that extending HIV service delivery to local pharmacies is crucial for reaching men who often transmit the disease to young girls. She explained that men, who are often mobile and have competing priorities, find it difficult to access traditional healthcare services, while local pharmacies operate beyond regular working hours.
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Angela Nakafero, the Commissioner for Gender and Women's Affairs at the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, acknowledged that the ministry has faced challenges, particularly in areas within its mandate. She noted that women and girls bear the greatest burden of HIV/AIDS in terms of both prevalence and new infections.
Nakafero explained that gender-based violence, including defilement, rape, and polygamy, where one man can transmit the disease to multiple women and young girls, is a key contributing factor. She stressed the importance of addressing gender-based violence in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Nakafero also discussed issues of discrimination, where women and girls often lack the same opportunities and privileges, leading some to turn to sex as a means of survival—an action that ultimately exacerbates the spread of HIV.
Fred Kayongo Male
Freelancer