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Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has lauded Buganda Kingdom’s efforts in fighting HIV and AIDS and urged the public to register for the 11th edition of the Kabaka Birthday Run.

She made the remarks on Tuesday (April 2) after paying a courtesy call to the kingdom headquarters and meeting its Katikkiro (premier) Charles Peter Mayiga at his office in Bulange-Mengo, the cultural institution’s administrative seat.

She was accompanied by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, Government Chief Whip Denis Obua, and former Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Mathias Mpuuga (Nyendo-Mukungwe MP), among others.

“I'm immensely honoured to pay this courtesy visit to the Kingdom of Buganda and to be part of the Kabaka Birthday Run, 2024. Besides just registering for the Run, we are here to officially declare our support for the Kabaka Royal Birthday Run, 2024,” she said.

She also posted on X, formerly Twitter, that as the Parliament of Uganda, they identify with this year’s theme: Men are stars in the fight against HIV/AIDS to save the Girl Child.

“We are cognizant of the effect of HIV/AIDS on our population and we welcome the effort of the Buganda Kingdom in complementing the Government's effort in combating HIV/AIDS. This will certainly contribute to the UNAIDS target of eliminating HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals that have a common cross-cutting health theme,” she said.

She prayed that the unity exhibited at Bulange during her visit be the spirit of confronting Uganda’s common challenges and paving the way for sustainable growth and development.

“I want to take this opportunity to encourage all members of the public to register and participate in this run to support the noble cause,” she added.

What UNAIDS says

In September last year, the executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Winnie Byanyima, said she remained optimistic that Uganda could end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

“The path to end AIDS is known. It will take political will to follow the evidence, let communities lead, respect the human rights of everyone without discrimination, and finance adequately,” she said after meeting Minister for the Presidency Milly Babalanda at her office in Kampala.

According to Uganda Aids Commission executive director Dr Nelson Musoba, 1.4 million people were living with HIV in the country as of December 2022.

On June 13, 2023, UNAIDS released a report highlighting that ending AIDS is a political and financial choice and that the countries and leaders who are already following the path are achieving extraordinary results.

It said Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Zimbabwe have already achieved the “95-95-95” targets.

That means 95% of the people who are living with HIV know their HIV status, 95% of the people who know that they are living with HIV are on lifesaving antiretroviral treatment, and 95% of people who are on the treatment are virally suppressed.

A further 16 other countries, eight of them in sub-Saharan Africa, the region which accounts for 65% of all people living with HIV, are also close to doing so, the report, titled ‘The Path that Ends AIDS’ said.

It said the number of people on antiretroviral treatment worldwide rose almost fourfold, from 7.7 million in 2010 to 29.8 million in 2022.

However, the report said AIDS claimed a life every minute in 2022. Around 9.2 million people still missed out on treatment, including 660,000 children living with HIV, it said.