___________________

The battle lines against HIV were drawn over four decades ago and the stakes are higher than ever, but the battleground has shifted to the most unexpected frontlines.

As the impact of negligence looms large, experts from the Uganda AIDs Commission (UAC) have sounded the alarm and revealed a disturbing trend of rising HIV prevalence among adolescents aged 15-24 years,  uncircumcised men and formerly married couples, as well as sex workers.

Experts from UAC have attributed this to the negligence shown in adopting measures to prevent the transmission of the virus.

According to UAC's head of HIV prevention Dr Daniel Byamukama, several men have persistently ignored the call to get circumcised while others are adamantly refusing to use condoms.

Dr Byaruhanga has urged all men in the country to embrace circumcision as research from experts shows that circumcision reduces the risk of HIV infection by over 50 percent.

On the other hand, Dr Sarah Nakku from UNAIDS urged those living with HIV to religiously adhere to their medication and avoid infecting others so that the country can end AIDS by 2030.

The revelations were made on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, during a media briefing at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala.

During the same event, the international AIDS Candle Light Memorial Day slated for May 17, in Hoima City under the theme: Ending AIDS by 2030, Keeping Communities at the Centre, was launched.