Uganda legislators urged to amplify messages on HIV prevention

KAMPALA - Members of Parliament have been asked to disseminate HIV prevention messages in the upcoming 2026 election campaigns.

Parliament plays key roles in the three areas of making laws; approbation of resources and oversight. 

Further to this, they have the opportunity to reach people in their constituents and provision of leadership, says Canon Dr. Ruth Senyonyi the chairperson of the Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC).

“We know that once you speak people listen, believe, follow and do what they have to do. Now that the 2026 campaigns are soon starting, we pray that you will be able to speak about HIV prevention as well.” Senyonyi noted while emphasizing that Senyonyi HIV/AIDS is something that touches the lives of everybody, irrespective of which party they belong to.

The lawmakers' support in delivering HIV messages across the nation and subnational levels of the communities is greatly valued.

Senyonyi revealed that the Uganda AIDS Commission has prepared a booklet packed with HIV prevention messages, translated into different languages to guide them on what to say.

The director Planning and Strategic Information at Uganda AIDS Commission, Dr Vincent Bagambe suggested use of all forms of channels, including social media that is popular with young people, and then sustainable behavioural change interventions such as counselling and person-to-person communication approaches.

At the same forum, the Minister for the Presidency Milly Babirye Babalanda called for strengthening the collaboration and partnerships with all the stakeholders through prevention messages across the country for the young generation to know HIV is still with us.

Babalanda said the ABC strategy of abstinence, being faithful, and use of condoms should be promoted to protect the generation from acquiring HIV.

Tochi County MP Fr. Peter Okot noted that sustaining the gains made in the HIV response will require disseminating compelling HIV prevention messages to paint a picture of AIDS that the young people did not see.

Babalanda (C) said the ABC strategy of abstinence, being faithful, and use of condoms should be promoted to protect the generation from acquiring HIV. (Credit: Nancy Nanyonga)

"When the epidemic hit the country in the 1980s, government embarked on dissemination prevention messages including the display of pictures of people battling against AIDS. Though scary, the pictures made the public know that HIV was real, and therefore tried to avoid it", said the Adjumani East MP James Mamawi.

Mamawi demanded the revival of HIV/AIDS pictorial education material to support the HIV prevention drives.  

The remarks were made at a meeting Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) held with the Parliamentary Committee for Presidential Affairs at Serena Hotel on Wednesday (March 5).

HIV burden

Uganda's HIV prevalence among the adult population (15-49 years) has continued to decline, and currently stands at 5.1 percent, down from 5.5 percent in 2020.  This means that in a crowd of 100 people, there are only five who are infected with HIV.

The prevalence is still higher among women (15 to 49 years) at 6.6 percent compared to the men in the same age bracket at 3.6 percent, according to the annual Joint AIDS Review Report 2023/2024.

Reports indicate that adolescents and young women are bearing 30% of the burden of new HIV infections.

New HIV infections reduced from 46,000 in 2020 to 38,000 in 2023, which translates to 100 people getting infected with HIV every day.

In 2020, Uganda registered 21,000 AIDS-related deaths, and they have just slightly reduced to 20,000 for June 2024, against the 2025 target of 10,800.

An estimated 1,492,410 people were living with HIV in Uganda as of December 2023. Of these, females are more.