The Uganda AIDS Commission and AHF Uganda Cares have appealed for an urgent allocation of Shs300 billion to sustain critical HIV/AIDS services, including essential drugs and laboratory supplies. The appeal was made on Tuesday before Parliament’s Health Committee, chaired by MP Joseph Ruyonga, following the suspension of funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) due to an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump.
USAID has been a major funder of health programs in Uganda and other regions, including Africa, Asia, South America, and the Middle East, through its $50 billion annual budget. Vincent Bagambe, Director of Planning and Strategic Information at the Uganda AIDS Commission, warned that the withdrawal of U.S. funding threatens Uganda’s progress in combating HIV/AIDS.
“We are at a critical juncture. Uganda has made significant strides in reducing new infections and AIDS-related deaths, but the sudden cut in funding puts these gains at risk. We need an additional Shs300 billion to ensure uninterrupted access to treatment, laboratory monitoring, and other essential services,” Bagambe told the committee.
Uganda currently spends approximately Shs1.9 trillion annually on HIV services, with 60 percent of this funding coming from donors, primarily the U.S. government through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). However, Bagambe noted that the executive order has halted grant disbursements, causing uncertainty among implementing partners. Some organizations have already begun closing clinics and laying off staff.
“If we do not act swiftly, we risk a crisis where thousands of people living with HIV may not receive their medication, increasing the chances of drug resistance and new infections,” he added.
Push for Increased Domestic Funding
The Uganda AIDS Commission has also called for an increase in the HIV Mainstreaming allocation from the current 0.1 percent to 0.5 percent of the national budget. This adjustment would generate an additional Shs200 billion to sustain critical prevention and treatment services.
“The current allocation is inadequate. Increasing it to 0.5 percent will ensure that critical interventions such as viral load monitoring, counseling services, and logistics for antiretroviral distribution continue without disruption,” Bagambe explained.
According to the latest statistics, Uganda has 1.49 million people living with HIV, with a prevalence rate of 5.1 percent. In 2023 alone, the country recorded 38,000 new infections and 20,000 AIDS-related deaths. Young people aged 15 to 24, particularly adolescent girls and young women, remain the most affected demographic.
Flavia Kyomukama from the National Forum of People Living with HIV warned that the funding freeze is already impacting access to treatment. “The stand-alone ART clinics, youth centers, shelters, and safe spaces for people living with HIV/AIDS are being phased out. This will limit access to medication and counseling while worsening stigma,” she said.
She described the USAID withdrawal as “a freeze on lives, a freeze on bloodline; we are slowly dying, and we are asking our Parliament to represent us.”
Calls for Local Manufacturing and Sustainable Solutions
Trevor Emojel, a Youth Officer at Uganda Cares, urged Parliament to support the local manufacturing of antiretroviral therapy (ART) drugs by providing tax breaks, low-interest financing, and waivers to manufacturers like Quality Chemicals. He also called for the fast-tracking and full financing of Uganda’s HIV sustainability strategy.
Jacqueline Makokha, the UNAIDS Country Director, emphasized the need for a locally driven solution to the crisis. “We need to come up with our homegrown solutions. Solutions will not come from outside. It has to come from us internally who are facing this situation,” she said.
Buikwe County South MP, Lulume Bayigga, stressed that Uganda must take responsibility for addressing the crisis in the absence of USAID funding. He called for clear strategies on medicine access and stigma reduction, adding, “If we cut down on our expenditure and provide a basket fund, we can purchase the medicines.”
Concerns Over HIV Service Integration
Namisindwa Woman MP, Sarah Netalisire, warned that integrating HIV services into general outpatient departments could increase stigma, particularly in rural areas. She raised concerns about how patients who previously accessed treatment through NGOs will continue to receive care.
“We have people who have lived HIV-positive for over 10 years but have never declared their status… they wait for drugs to find them where they are,” she said, urging the government to operationalize the AIDS Trust Fund to replace lost donor funding.
Health Committee Chairperson, Joseph Ruyonga, acknowledged that the funding freeze has sent shockwaves through the country. “We may not be able to raise all the funds to run the activities as you have been doing. Can the Ministry of Health address all stakeholders in a single meeting and see how to resolve this?” he asked.
With donor support dwindling, the government is now under immense pressure to find urgent funding alternatives to sustain the fight against HIV/AIDS.