Health organisations and local authorities in Moroto District have launched a joint initiative to curb new HIV infections and ensure people living with HIV have access to integrated health services.
The initiative comes amid concerns over a reported tenfold increase in new HIV infections, which authorities attribute to rapid economic growth and an influx of job seekers attracted by mining and other business opportunities.
Although Moroto’s HIV prevalence stands at 2.1 per cent, below the national average of 2.5 per cent, officials warn that the rising number of new infections threatens progress in HIV prevention.
The initiative brings together the Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD), The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO), the National Forum of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda (NAFOPHANU) and the district HIV coordination team.
Charles Onyang Omudu, the Moroto District HIV/AIDS Focal Point Person, said the influx of people seeking economic opportunities had increased the pressure on HIV prevention efforts and called for a coordinated plan to strengthen the implementation of HIV programmes.
Omudu noted that the District HIV Coordination Committee, a key structure for advocacy and programme planning, remains underfunded and appealed to partners, including Baylor Uganda, to bridge funding gaps left by donors who have withdrawn support following US President Donald Trump’s cuts to USAID funding.
Hassan Naburi, the Moroto District Chairperson of NAFOPHANU, said the area’s growing economic activity had increased the risk of HIV transmission, particularly in mining communities. He also raised concerns over the shortage of condoms, saying their limited availability was undermining HIV prevention efforts, especially at mining sites.
Moroto District Principal Assistant Secretary Samuel Lokong welcomed the initiative, saying it would strengthen district and sub-county networks, build the capacity of peer leaders and improve referrals to health facilities.
Lokong said the initiative aligns with the district’s HIV strategic plan and the Presidential Fast Track Initiative on ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat. He urged NAFOPHANU to strengthen its structures and establish active networks in all sub-counties, working closely with the District Health Office and Baylor Uganda, the district’s lead HIV partner.
He also emphasised the need for transparency and accountability in implementing HIV programmes and challenged people living with HIV to become ambassadors in the fight against the disease, saying that openly sharing their experiences and adhering to treatment could encourage others to seek care and help reduce stigma.
He further urged them to participate in government economic empowerment programmes, including Emyooga and the Parish Development Model (PDM), to improve their livelihoods.
Judith Nakalembe, an advocate with CEHURD, said the integration of HIV services should be led by the Ministry of Health and guided by human rights principles to address barriers that prevent people living with HIV from accessing care.
Nakalembe identified poverty as a major driver of risky sexual behaviour among young girls, saying some engage in transactional sex in exchange for small incentives, including food, exposing them to HIV infection, unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions.
“We have realised that young girls nowadays exchange sex for small things like chapatti and other incentives, then later when they conceive, they run for unsafe abortions, and as a result, many have lost their lives,” Nakalembe said.
She said CEHURD was engaging both young people and older community members to provide information on HIV prevention and link them to appropriate health services. Nakalembe urged community leaders and residents to support the integration of services, saying coordinated efforts were necessary to ensure that no one was left behind in accessing HIV prevention, treatment and care-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
