The Uganda Aids Commission (UAC) has revealed that an increasing number of men in Uganda are opting for medical circumcision as part of the country’s efforts to eliminate the AIDS disease by 2030.
In its comprehensive approach to combat HIV/AIDS, medical circumcision has been employed as one of the strategies to prevent the disease’s spread.
Initially met with controversy within Ugandan society, medical circumcision has gained acceptance over time. In preparation for the National HIV/AIDS Symposium, Daniel Byamukama, Head of HIV Prevention at the UAC, addressed the media and provided an in-depth overview of the current state of the HIV/AIDS response and the ongoing efforts to combat the epidemic.
Byamukama pointed out that despite initial skepticism about this approach, there has been a significant increase in the number of individuals seeking circumcision, particularly among young adults.
He stated, “Male circumcision is one of Uganda’s strategies for HIV prevention. The proportion of men aged 15 to 49 who reported being circumcised increased from 42.2% in 2016 to 57.5% in 2020, with the highest prevalence among young people aged 15 to 24 at 63%.”
Dr. Byamukama highlighted Uganda’s substantial progress over the past decade, with substantial reductions in new HIV infections and related morbidity and mortality. He mentioned, “In 2022, the country recorded 52,000 new HIV infections and 17,000 AIDS-related deaths, a significant decrease from 2010 when there were 94,000 new infections and 56,000 deaths.”
Among other accomplishments in the fight against HIV/AIDS, preliminary results from the 2020 Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (UPHIA) reveal that Uganda is making significant progress toward achieving the UNAIDS 95-95 targets, indicating a higher percentage of people living with HIV are aware of their status, on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and virally suppressed.
Data from the UAC shows that among adults aged 15 and above: 80.9% of those living with HIV were aware of their status, 96.1% of those aware of their HIV status were on ART, and 92.2% of those on ART were virally suppressed.
However, challenges persist, including identifying individuals who are unaware of their HIV status and ensuring treatment adherence among young people.
Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV remains a concern, and efforts are needed to ensure that more children receive appropriate care and support.
Byamukama noted, “Although Uganda has made significant progress in reducing MTCT in recent years, vertical infections remain high, estimated at approximately 5,300 in 2020. The reduction in vertical HIV infections is mainly attributed to the scale-up of effective PMTCT services under Option B+ that began in 2012.”
Dr. Byamukama also outlined other gaps in the fight against HIV/AIDS, including a heavy reliance on external donors for funding, inequalities in HIV treatment, addressing risky sexual behavior, legal-policy and social challenges, and the importance of innovative, male-friendly testing and treatment programs.
He emphasized the importance of Uganda’s multisectoral approach to the HIV response, involving collaboration across various sectors, including Health, Education, Media, Culture, Faith, Hospitality, and Defense.
This approach recognizes that the fight against HIV/AIDS requires a collective effort from all segments of society, and neglecting any aspect of this response could undermine the national commitment to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
UAC has organized the National HIV and AIDS Symposium 2023, scheduled for November 14-16, as part of its mandate. The event will take place at Kololo Independence Grounds and is open to the public.
The theme for this year, “My Responsibility Towards Ending AIDS by 2030,” underscores the importance of individual contributions to the collective goal of ending the AIDS epidemic.
The symposium will feature various events, including the National HIV and AIDS Scientific Meeting and a financing dialogue to discuss progress and challenges in realizing different financing mechanisms for the current National Strategic Plan (NSP).