Uganda Bicycle Tour for HIV&AIDS Awareness

Business came to a stand still in Kisenyi as 2 cyclists Mr. Abbey Kiseka and Mr. Augustine Muwonge of Bike Holiday were being flagged off by the AIC Kampala Branch Manager in the midst of a big crowd on 1st November.

The cyclists devoted their time and resources to create awareness about HIV&AIDS as part of their contribution for World AIDS day. With their bicycles they covered 2316 KMs across Uganda reaching approximately 221,191 people with HIV&AIDS messages. They started their journey from AIC Kampala and stopped over at Masaka for a night before proceeding to AIC Mbarara where they were received by the Mbarara Branch Manager. They later attended a radio talk show on HIV&AIDS and also shared their story. The following day they met a large crowd of Mbarara town folks after which they were flagged off to their next destination. They arrived at Kabale the next day and were received by the Manager Mr. Richard Kikaffunda. The two cyclists together with the BM again attended a talk show the day before they were flagged off to continue with their journey in the presence of an excited crowd of people who had left their work to come and witness this rare event. These opportunities were used by the branch staff to promote AIC services and the Couple HCT campaign.

On Tuesday the cyclist reached Arua at approximately mid day. They were received by the Branch Manager Mr. Lulu Henry and the Board of Trust Member Mr. Dick Nyai. Together with the BM and the BOT member, four radio talk shows were attended and several materials on HIV&AIDS were distributed in Arua town. They then proceeded to Gulu from where they went to AIC Lira the following day and reached at approximately 3.00 p.m. They went to AIC Mbale where they attended a radio talk show. The following day they set off for Jinja where they participated in an outreach.

By the time they returned to AIC Mengo Kisenyi in Kampala on 26th November 2009 they had covered 26 districts including the 8 AIC branches of Kampala, Mbarara, Kabale, Arua, Lira, Soroti, Mbale and Jinja.

Uganda Ministry of Health calls for voluntary HIV testing

UGANDA yesterday marked World AIDS Day with messages urging men to go for voluntary counselling and testing services.

Health minister Dr. Stephen Mallinga noted that voluntary testing and counselling is an effective strategy to access preventive and care services.

World AIDS Day was adopted in 1988. It is commemorated every December 1 to raise awareness about the pandemic that has killed more than 25 million people world-wide since it was first discovered 30 years ago.

Globally, the number of people infected reached over 33 million at the end of 2008, while 2.7 million new infections occurred last year.

In Uganda, about one million people live with HIV/AIDS, according to the AIDS Information Centre, while 1.2 million children have been orphaned by the scourge. Last year, 43% of new infections were among married couples.

Quoting Ministry of Health reports, Mallinga said 25% of women in Ugandan have tested for HIV while the men lag behind, with only 21% knowing their status.

He added that 1,200 sites are providing testing and counselling services across the country. “More innovative approaches are needed to mobilise male partners,” he noted. He also called for more testing of new-born babies, saying only 20% of them have been tested. Mallinga’s speech was read at Nakibubo Stadium by health state minister Kamanda Bataringaya. Hundreds of people flooded the stadium and braved the sun to access free testing services from various health providers.

David Musoke, 56, who tested at Nakivubo, said: “I want to know my HIV status because the Government is urging us to test. It is not the first time I am testing for HIV, except that the queues are very long here.” Rose Namuleme, 22, said she had tested in August last year when she had her first child. “Today, I want to know the truth again,” she said.

The Uganda AIDS Commission director, Dr. Kihumuro Apuuli, appealed to the public to do testing together with their partners. “A small percentage of people in Uganda know their status. I urge you to test. It is your responsibility. Access to testing, prevention and treatment is your right.” Florence Ndagire of the Uganda Society of Disabled Children called on the AIDS Commission to establish HIV-prevalence among the disabled.

Present at the function were UNAIDS Africa coordinator Dr. Musa Bungudu, PEPFAR country coordinator Dr. Michael Strong, as well as Dr. Elizabeth Mataka, the UN special envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa. HIV prevalence in the country fell dramatically, from a peak of 15% among all adults in 1991 to around 5% in 2001. The Government’s ABC prevention campaign greatly contributed to the decline. There has been a slight increase again in HIV-prevalence since 2006, up to the current 6.4%. The availability of free antiretroviral drugs is thought to have led to complacency.

Over 2000 people are said to have tested for HIV at the venue.