Uganda is today joining the rest of the world to mark the World AIDS day with unfortunately a high number of new HIV infections.
According to the Uganda AIDS Commission, by the end of 2019, Uganda had 53,000 new HIV infections which is approximately 1000 infections every week, with a large proportion of this occurring between youths aged 15- 25 years.
Dr Nelson Musoba, the Director General Uganda AIDS Commission says that the situation has also been worsened by the Covid-19 induced lockdown as patients could not access medication easily or those wishing to test for HIV could not access health facilities.
Health experts have revealed that COVID-19 is also threatening the progress that the world has made in health and development over the past 20 years.
HIV still infects 1.7 million people globally each year and kills some 690,000.
Meanwhile, the director Mbarara regional referral hospital doctor Celestine Barigye has cautioned the people living with HIV/AIDS to desist from the habit of sharing ARV’s.
Doctor Barigye noted that this habit is common among married couples making them at time one to miss the medicine hence creating drug resistance.
Uganda today commemorate the AIDS day under the theme, “National solidarity and a shared responsibility towards ending AIDS’’
