Public health authority in Uganda From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) is a national organization established by parliamentary statute in 1992. The Commission's main objective is to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the national strategy to combat HIV/AIDS, adopted by the Government of Uganda in 1990.[1] They aim to transform Uganda into "A Population Free of HIV and its Effects" by strengthening governance and management systems, resource mobilization, advocacy and communication for the National HIV Response, and strategic information for evidence-based decision making.[2] Although the UAC does not engage in direct implementations of interventions, it provides valuable oversight and coordination of all HIV/AIDS related activities in Uganda.[3]
The Commission is situated under the Office of the President of Uganda, with permission granted from Article 99 (3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, which requires the President to safeguard citizen welfare.[4] The current Board Chair is Dr. Canon Ruth Senyonyi, who also serves as a therapist and a director at Bethel Counseling in the Province of the Anglican Church of Uganda, All Saints' Cathedral in Kampala. The Director General of the UAC is Dr. Nelson Musoba, a medical doctor with more than 20 years of clinical and public health experience. He leads a team of experts in coordinating the national multi-sectoral HIV response and has served as a member of the National Drug Authority Board, which represents the public sector on the Uganda County Coordinating Mechanism for the Global Fund. Dr. Musoba spent more than half of his career at the Ministry of Health as Senior Health Planner.[5]
Consisting of 11 members, the UAC Board serves as the supreme decision-making organ that provides policy guidelines and strategic direction to the Secretariat in implementation of its mandate. Alongside its full-time Chairperson, these members include individuals from the government, non-government sectors, people living with HIV, and others selected for their outstanding expertise.[6]
In June 2017, the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, launched the Presidential Fast Track Initiative (PFTI) towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.[7] Following this announcement, the UAC launched the "Wear a Red Ribbon Campaign" to promote testing, end the stigma, and raise awareness about this pandemic.[8] This campaign encouraged individuals to wear a red ribbon daily in solidarity with those affected and infected by HIV/AIDS, particularly adolescent girls and young women.
Starting in 2021, the UAC has sponsored an annual National HIV and AIDS symposium to introduce new innovations to combat the virus, discuss the Annual Joint AIDS Review report among stakeholders, and hold the Philly Lutaaya Commemoration to rally Ugandans against HIV and AIDS-related stigma.[9] During this initial symposium, the Commission's National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (NSP) implemented a National Priority Action Plan (NPAP) to provide guidance on (i) prevention, (ii) care and treatment, (iii) social support and protection, and (iv) systems strengthening.[10]
In collaboration with the Initiative for Better Health (IBH), a non-profit organization primed to improve the health and economic security for young adults in Uganda, the UAC launched its inaugural Empuumo Marathon at Kakyeka Stadium in Mbarara City in 2024. This charity event mobilized the community, raised stakeholder and population efforts, and rallied resources and energies to end HIV/AIDS by 2030.[11] Alongside the race, the Empuumo Marathon event offered voluntary HIV testing and counseling services, safe male circumcision, information on HIV awareness and prevention, blood donations, and cultural performances.[12]
Since 1992, the UAC has made sizable contributions to Uganda’s fight against HIV/AIDS. At that time, when a diagnosis meant a death sentence, nearly 18% of the population was HIV-positive.[13] By 2024, the national HIV prevalence had fallen to 5.1%, with tremendous improvements made in the last couple decades. From 2010 to 2023, HIV infections declined by 61%, and AIDS-related deaths fell by 63%.[14] The UAC's outreach efforts have spread comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS prevention and promoted safer sexual activity among Ugandans. Between 2011 and 2022, knowledge among men and women have increased by 16% and 18%, respectively, and safe male circumcisions have increased by 6,000,000 since 2010.[15]
In 2023, the UAC made massive improvements to its program management. It enhanced its laboratory capabilities for accurate testing and diagnosis, thereby improving the overall reliability of HIV testing across Uganda. Moreover, it increased financing and sustainability, where approximately $690.2 million was mobilized to fund HIV/AIDS interventions, with the Ugandan government contributing 13% of this amount.[16]
Despite its successes, the UAC acknowledges room for improvement. In 2024, approximately 4,700 babies acquired HIV infections from their mothers, even with treatment readily available at different health facilities across the country. Teenagers and youth suffer most from the virus, accounting for 70% of the 5,000 new infections registered across the country each week, according to date from 2024.[17] Additionally, HIV prevalence is greatest among young women and girls, who suffer nearly four times as often as their male counterparts.[18] Even infected mothers often refuse to follow safety measures and inadvertently pass on the virus to their children.[19]
In 2024, the UAC came under brief fire, when the Resident District Commissioners from the Masaka sub-region, serving as Chairpersons of District HIV/AIDS Coordination Committees, criticized their current prevention measures. Chairperson Paddy Kayondo urged the UAC to better tailor its messaging toward younger generations, who are becoming increasingly nonchalant. Kayondo encouraged the UAC to adopt an earlier approach, involving the use of school plays, entertainment skits, and vigorous social media use to increase awareness.[20]
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.