HIV prevalence drops in Busoga

Supporters of Buyende District Woman MP Veronica Kadogo carry her shortly after the High Court in Jinja dismissed a petition filed by her former opponent Mary Nakato. PHOTO BY DENIS EDEMA

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The study, which started in 2009 and ended last month, was funded by the United States Agency for International Development and conducted by local a NGO, Strengthening Tuberculosis and HIV/Aids Responses in Eastern and Central Uganda

JINJA.

The number of people living with HIV/Aids in Busoga region has dropped by 5.2 per cent, according to a new report.

The report was compiled after a seven-year study carried out in the districts making up the sub-region with emphasis on the fishing communities of Mayuge and Namayingo districts near Lake Victoria.
The study, which started in 2009 and ended last month, was funded by the United States Agency for International Development and conducted by local a NGO, Strengthening Tuberculosis and HIV/Aids Responses in Eastern and Central Uganda.

The NGO’s chief of party, Mr Alex Mugume, told stakeholders at the close of a day-long conference in Jinja last Thursday that prevalence rates for the dreaded disease have dropped from 6.5 per cent in 2009 to 1.3 per cent in July this year. He attributed the development to an intensive sensitisation campaign carried out in different communities where the problem of HIV/Aids had escalated.

Public warned
The State Minister for Health, Ms Sarah Opendi, warned the public against using news of a reduction in prevalence rates to become complacent and start living promiscuous lives. She lauded the American government for funding and the NGO for the work done.