HIV/AIDS battle needs more ammunition

Sep 27, 2011

THE rate of death from HIV/AIDS in Uganda has dropped by 30% over the last 10 years.

THE rate of death from HIV/AIDS in Uganda has dropped by 30% over the last 10 years.

This is good news because 20 years ago, being diagnosed with HIV/AIDs was synonymous with a death sentence without appeal. Many people died miserably from the disease.

However, despite this positive development, less than half (48%) of the 344,809 people enrolled for Anti-retroviral (ARVs) therapy since 2004 are receiving treatment. This poses a big challenge because the other 52% who have voluntarily come forward to seek treatment cannot access it, yet the ministry plans to enroll an additional 100,000 people on ARVs by next year.

A funding gap has been identified as the major hurdle for this inadequacy. Reports also indicate that it costs between sh1.4m and sh2.8m to provide ARVs to a single person per year.

The Government should change the funding strategy by increasing the budgetary allocation for HIV/AIDS treatment rather than heavy reliance on donors.

Considering the statistics that indicate that over 1.2 million Ugandans are living with HIV and 350 people get infected with it every day, it is a risky business relying on donors considering the current global economic situation which will certainly lead to a decline in donor funding.

Emphasis should also be put on fighting new infections. People need to be sensitised on their lifestyles to avoid circumstances that bring them closer to contracting the virus. Uganda effectively used the ‘ABC’ approach at the peak of the disease and effectively contained it. A similar campaign should be reintroduced.

However, to further reduce the deaths, every affected person should get access to the drugs. Efforts to reduce mother-to-child transmisions should be enhanced. This success so far shows the battle can be won with right policies and implementers.

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