Government to embark on new HIV rates survey
KAMPALA.
A new computerised HIV/Aids research is set to determine the new HIV infection (incidence) and the national disease prevalence rates, currently estimated at 7.3 per cent as per the last survey in 2011.
According to the Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, following the various HIV/Aids interventions, the government will next month embark on a new survey to measure the impact of the country’s HIV prevention, care and treatment services.
“This nationwide household survey aims to estimate HIV incidence, prevalence, and viral load suppression among adults and children,” Dr Aceng said in a journalists’ briefing on the study held on Friday last week in Kampala. She added that the previous round of Aids Indicator Surveys show that HIV prevalence in the general population in Uganda increased from 6.4 per cent in 2004/5 to 7.3 per cent by 2011, tallying with the 2013 HIV estimates, which show that HIV prevalence stabilised around 7.4 per cent in 2012/2013.
The Uganda Population Based HIV Impact Assessment, code named UPHIA, is the fourth HIV/Aids study to be conducted since the 1980s and will cover 13,000 randomly selected households in the country and is expected to last at least seven months.
“Those who choose to participate will receive HIV counselling and testing in their home, with results returned the same day. Syphilis and hepatitis B tests will also be provided and results given on the same day,” said Dr Aceng, adding that the study is voluntary.
She added that UPHIA data will help Uganda sustain its achievements in responding to HIV, and help improve the response in the future while individuals who participate in the survey can contribute to improving health services for all Ugandans.
Dr Alex Opio, the UPHIA survey director said treatment of syphilis will be given at the household level while the HIV and Hepatitis B cases will be referred to health facilities.
“Children and adolescents are part of this survey. However, children will only be allowed to participate after obtaining permission from their parents or guardians,” Dr Opio said.
He added that the blood samples drawn will help to test viral load among people living with HIV, antiretroviral resistance and early diagnosis in infants.
The survey is expected to cost about $5m (about Shs18.5b) and will be implemented with support from ICAP at Columbia University through the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. Other partners include Uganda Virus Research Institute, Uganda Bureau of Statistics, Westat and ICF Macro.
Scope of the study
The voluntary- consent based survey will target 33, 642 participants, including 24, 049 adults aged 15 to 64 years and 9,593 children aged 0-14 years.
According to Dr Wilfred Kirungi of the National Aids Control Programme based at ministry of Health, the country has been divided into 10 regions and the 33,642 participants will be drawn from 13, 436 households based in 523 clusters or villages. He said 25 households will be randomly selected from each cluster and the survey terms will interview the heads of families and other participants using computerised tablets. According to Dr Sam Biraaro, the ICAP country director, field workers have been trained on how to collect data using the tablets and will be donned in T-shirts, caps and aprons inscribed with UPHIA. The number of People living with HIV who enrolled on treatment increased from about 330,000 in 2011 to about 750,896 in 2014. About 1.4 million people are estimated to be living with HIV.
