Nnabagereka urges men to join fight against HIV

The Nnabagereka, Sylvia Nagginda

What you need to know:

  • According to the UAC, 37 percent of the 38,000 new HIV infections registered in the country annually are among youth, with 79 percent of the infections among young women.

The Nnabagereka, Sylvia Nagginda has called for male involvement in tackling the rising cases of HIV infections, especially among adolescents and children born to HIV-positive women.
Speaking at the annual general meeting and Aids Day commemoration organised by Programme for Accessible Health Communications and Education (PACE) in Kampala yesterday, Ms Nagginda said men should encourage their wives to adhere to medication, attend antenatal care, give birth from hospitals and embrace HIV testing and treatment.
“The men should come on board. They have tried but there is still a gap. We wouldn’t be having children born with HIV 30 years later. There have been a lot of sensitisation campaigns but they have been adamant, they don’t want to listen but end up getting infected,” she said.

The Nnabagereka, who is also the PACE patron, said seeking HIV services as couples would also reduce the number of children born with the disease.
According to Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids 2021 report, there were 5,500 new childhood HIV infections in the country due to mother-to-child transmission, half of which occurred among babies born to mothers who stopped HIV treatment during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

The Uganda Aids Commission (UAC) report indicates that HIV infection among children born to mothers living with HIV increased from 1.7 percent last year to 2.7 percent this year, mainly due to poor adherence to treatment.
Babies can be infected by their HIV-positive mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and during breastfeeding.
The Nnabagereka also raised concern about the high prevalence of HIV among adolescents, especially girls, saying interventions around this age group must be strengthened.
She urged parents to counsel their children so that they can desist from behaviours, places and people who may expose them to the risk of HIV.

According to the UAC, 37 percent of the 38,000 new HIV infections registered in the country annually are among youth, with 79 percent of the infections among young women.
Dr Fred Wabwire Mangeni, the board chairperson of PACE,  called for HIV testing, saying this will not only prevent infections but also enable those who are positive to seek treatment early to prolong their lives.
Ms Phellister Nakamya, the PACE executive director,  called for skilling young girls who are vulnerable to HIV so that they can be empowered economically to avoid being exploited.