HIV cases in Mityana have doubled from 1.5% to 3% over the past year, raising alarm among health authorities who attribute the surge to dwindling funding for HIV/AIDS interventions.
This sharp rise set the tone for this year’s district commemoration as Mityana joined the rest of the world to mark World AIDS Day under the theme “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response.”
The main function was held at Ssekanyonyi Health Center IV in Ssekanyonyi Town Council, where many people gathered to commemorate the day. The Mityana District Focal Person, Dr. Peter Muwereza, revealed that HIV/AIDS has increased in Mityana district compared to last year.
He said that as per now HIV/AIDS is at a 3% increase yet last year HIV/AIDS cases were at 1.5%, which he described as too much of an increase.
Dr. Muwereza added that the main reason why HIV/AIDS is increasing is the cut of funding they were receiving from America, which has hindered many activities like going for outreaches because they don’t have funds.
Dr. Muwereza appealed to the government and districts to start planning and budgeting for HIV/AIDS activities so that they do not entirely depend on donors.
During the function, a girl (name withheld) gave testimony on how she acquired HIV/AIDS at an early age. She said she was not born with the virus, but when her stepmother got into misunderstandings with her father, the father decided to force her into sex.
The Coordinator for the Mityana District Forum for People Living with HIV/AIDS, Florence Nakanwagi, said the biggest challenge they are facing today is that NGOs, which were supporting people living with HIV—especially in monitoring and helping them access medication—have withdrawn. She urged all people on ARVs to go back to health facilities and pick up their medicines.
The Secretary for Education and Health in Mityana district, who represented the district chairperson, Mambo Sulait Ssengendo, urged residents not to fear testing themselves and said that if they discover they have AIDS, they can start medication early.
Mityana Assistant Resident District Commissioner and guest of honour, Peter Kimera, asked leaders to spearhead the mobilization and sensitization of communities about HIV/AIDS. He said many people in villages have failed to go for testing, believing they are being bewitched, and stressed that individuals only need encouragement so they can start treatment.
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