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 FIGHT AGAINST HIV & AIDS 

Ugandan Members of Parliament on the Committee on HIV & AIDS and related matters have urged religious and cultural leaders to join the fight against HIV & AIDS.

Sarah Kayagi, the chairperson of the committee and the Woman MP for Namisindwa district, on Thursday led fellow legislators on an oversight visit in Kamuli and Buyende districts in eastern Uganda.

The MPs made the trip to the east to assess the status of HIV incidence, HIV prevalence, viral load suppression as well as to understand the impact of HIV on the society.

“We can’t address HIV issues without bringing everyone on board," said Kayagi.

"Religious and cultural leaders are very important factors when addressing issues of HIV because their followers and subjects trust and listen to them."

HIV — human immunodeficiency virus — is an infection that attacks the body’s immune system. AIDS — acquired immunodeficiency syndrome — is the most advanced stage of the disease. 

▪️  How Uganda has battled HIV & AIDS over the years

Kayagi reminded religious leaders of a letter that had been drafted and meant to be read in all prayers sermons around places of worship in Uganda. 

The MPs rallied religious leaders to rejuvenate and bring back the letter so that they can keep reading it to Christians as a sensitization tool on HIV prevention.

“We have not heard these letters being read for a long time," said Kayagi.

"I want to call on all leaders to focus on health issues because we cannot develop the country when people are not healthy. We need to fight and end HIV by 2030 by working together."

▪️  'Young people more scared of pregnancy than HIV'

MP Sarah Kayagi underlined the role of religious and cultural leaders in addressing issues of HIV

The committee legislators collectively thanked the Kabaka of Buganda kingdom for coming up with the Kabaka run every year, which offers an opportunity for Ugandans come together and speak about HIV, and mobilise resources towards the fight against HIV. 

This year's Kabaka Birthday Run — 11th edition — will take place this Sunday (April 7).

It has been themed around recognizing men as "stars" in the fight against HIV & AIDS "to save the girl child".

This year marks the second year on the block of three years that the run is focused on the fight against HIV and AIDS. 

▪️  Vision Group boosts Kabaka Run with sh130m
▪️  Speaker Among leads MPs to support Kabaka Run

“People believe in their kingdoms and their leaders. I call on all other leaders in other kingdoms to embrace such occasions and turn them into preaching the gospel of ending HIV in 2030," said Kayagi.

"The same thing [Kabaka Birthday Run] can be done in Busoga by the Kyabazinga, in Teso by the Emorimor,  in Bugisu by the Umukuka — where all these cultural leaders come together and we change the way we handle our cultural activities."

The MPs also urged people to go for HIV testing to know their status and start treatment in case they are found living with the virus. 

"If you go for medication early, it helps mothers to give birth to babies without HIV."

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At least 1.4 million people are living with HIV in Uganda, 860,000 of whom are women and 80,000 are children in Uganda.

HIV is spread from the body fluids of an infected person, including blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal fluids, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

It can also spread from a mother to her baby.

But "it is not spread by kisses, hugs or sharing food", adds the UN health agency.

HIV can be treated and prevented with antiretroviral therapy.

If untreated, HIV can progress to AIDS, often after many years.

There is no cure for HIV infection.

However, with access to effective HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, including for opportunistic infections, HIV infection has become a manageable chronic health condition, enabling people living with HIV to lead long and healthy lives, says the WHO.