Vision Group to run series on HIV/AIDS starting November

Oct 30, 2018

World AIDS Day falls on December 1 each year



WORLD AIDS DAY-Starting Thursday November 1, 2018 Vision Group, will run educative and informative HIV/AIDS series ahead of the International AIDS Day.

World AIDS Day falls on December 1 each year. It is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness.

Founded in 1988, World AIDS Day was the first global health day.

Package the Vision Group platforms namely: print media, TVs, radios and online will run content highlighting the achievements and challenges in the campaign against HIV/ Aids.

It will also focus on issues relating to this year's AIDS Day theme: Know your status.

New Vision editor John Kakande said as a leading media house, Vision Group has an obligation to contribute to the fight against HIV/AIDS and hence the must-read special package.

"Over the years, New Vision newspaper and Vision Group have come up with special packages to commemorate the World AIDS Day. We devote space ahead of the World AIDS Day to highlight issues related to campaign against HIV/AIDS, to create awareness and tell our audiences the progress so far made and the challenges," Kakande said.

He said although Uganda had made progress over the years, it is not yet time to celebrate but rather to consolidate the gains.

The New Vision health editor, Lillian Namusoke Magezi, said HIV/AIDS has taken a new face in Uganda, which calls for concerted efforts and approach.

"The series will put a historical perspective to the scourge and encourageUgandans to know their sero status. If you test positive, go for medication and if found negative, maintain your status," she said.

Namusoke said the daily stories would empower readers with vital information to stay safe, improve the quality of life and take precautionary measures.

Bukedde TV manager, Moses Kasasa, said effective November 1, all live local programmes would have a segment on HIV/AIDS.

"We want to create awareness about HIV/AIDS and remind our viewers that the disease is still with us and we need to guard against it," he said.

Kasasa said the TV would air profiles of people who have taken a lead role in the fight against the scourge. Places such as Lukaya, Nakibizzi, Kasensero, Rakai, Naluweerere, Mbiko, which were hard hit by HIV/AIDS will also be profiled.

HIV/AIDS burden According to global information and education on HIV and AIDS, over 1.4 million people are living with HIV, women and young girls in particular are disproportionately affected.

Uganda has lost close to two million people to the HIV. HIV remains a significant challenge to Uganda.

Its effects on the economy and society remain unacceptably high, with up to 83,000 having contracted HIV in 2016 (227 infections per day and nine infections per hour), while 28,000 died of HIV-related illnesses in the same year (77 deaths per day).

Young people, especially women and girls, are disproportionately affected.

Sixty percent of the deaths are men due their poor health services seeking behaviour.

Fewer men than women test for HIV. Uganda has a predominately young population with adolescents constituting 24.3% of the population.

According to health ministry estimates for 2015, HIV incidence (number of new HIV infections) among adolescents remains high estimated at 11,026 (11.6%).

One in every four new infections among women in Uganda occurred in adolescents and young women aged 15-24 years (GAP Report 2014).

Young women who have experienced intimate partner violence were 50% more likely to have acquired HIV than women who had not experienced violence.

In Uganda, 3% of adolescent girls 15-19 years live with HIV and the prevalence doubles 7.1% by the time they are 24 years (UAIS, 2011).


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