Civil Society Fund gives sh3b for HIV fight

By John Agaba

The Civil Society Fund (CSF) has given sh3b fight HIV in prostitutes, long-distance truck drivers and adolescents in 11 urban councils in Uganda.

This was revealed at the 12th Alliance of Mayors and Municipal Leaders Initiative for Community Action on Aids at Local Level (AMICAALL) annual general meeting at Imperial Royale yesterday.

The project, which will be implemented by the alliance, will aim at averting new HIV infections in the key populations.

Speaking at the function, Titus Twesige, the AMICAALL country director, expressed the need to focus HIV interventions on the populations as they are the main fuellers of new infections.

Whereas the national HIV prevalence stands at 7.3%, according to statistics from the health ministry, prevalence among commercial sex workers, long-distance truck drivers as well as fisher folks ranges from 30% to 50%.

There have been programmes specifically targeting the populations, but their elusive nature makes it hard to control the virus.

Health experts are calling for renewed efforts to weed out the virus in these populations.

Yesterday, Twesige said they are targeting the UN Joint Program on AIDS (UNAIDS) 909090 Approach, where 90% of people living with HIV know their status; 90% of those diagnosed with HIV receive ARVs; and 90% of those on treatment have viral suppression.  

He said the alliance will work with outreach centres to implement moonlight HIV counseling and testing services to CSW who may not willingly go to health centres to test for HIV.

They will refer those who test positive to outreach centres for treatment.

The 11 urban councils selected are Mukono, Lukaaya, Busia, Kotido, Moroto and Makindye. Others are Hoima, Lira, Pakwach, Kalangala, Buliisa and the Police in Gulu.

AMICAALL, as an alliance of mayors and municipal leaders in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa, started 15 years ago.

During yesterday’s meeting the urban leaders renewed their commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS that kills about 63,300 Ugandans per year.

The leaders committed to sensitize communities about abstinence, being faithful and use of condoms.

AMICAAL chairperson, Alfred Aruo, asked the leaders to encourage safe male circumcision and elimination of mother-to-child transmissions of HIV.

He said that the alliance aimed at reaching HIV services to over 300, 000 Ugandans.

Allen Nasozi, a former sex worker, asked the leaders to set up workshops to provide CSW employment opportunities to get them off the street.

Related to the story

Gov’t urged to re-focus HIV campaign in fishing communities

Boda boda riders, fishmongers have multiple sexual partners

37% Ugandan sex workers are HIV positive