A number of organizations committed to fighting HIV/AIDS have launched a campaign to have all candidates participating in the 2011 Uganda General elections to pledge their commitment towards fighting HIV/AIDS.
HIV/AIDS preventive campaigns in Uganda
HIV/AIDS remains one of the leading causes of deaths in Uganda, and a key development challenge as many HIV postive people spend scarce resources on treating opportunistic infections, fail to work due to sickness, as well as resulting in many orphans and dependants in addition to the increased burden to provide Antiretroviral drugs and other care.
Despite relentless efforts by the government of Uganda to fight the HIV/AIDS scourge, the HIV prevalence rates have stagnated in the past seven years causing concern among various stakeholders.
Rev. Can. Gideon Byamugisha and Florence Buluba at the press conference
A Good will Ambassador from the Office of the Good will Ambassadors on HIV/AIDS, Rev. Can Gideon Byamugisha on Friday appealed to candidates to sign up to the platform and incorporate commitments to fighting HIV/AIDS in their manifestos.
While briefing journalists at the Uganda National Theatre, Rev. Can. Byamugisha says the organizations will carry out mass sensitization of the Ugandan voters urging them to vote for candidates who havecommitted to fighting HIV/AIDS in Uganda.
The Program Officer of the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS, Florence Buluba says the campaign will achieve great progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Uganda.
Some of the organizations that have come up to back the campaign include the International Community of Women Living with HIV, People Living With HIV and the Office of the Good Will Ambassadors on HIV/AIDS among others.
Statistics of HIV and AIDS in Uganda (by UNICEF)
| Indicator estimated | Number |
| Estimated adult HIV prevalence rate (aged 15–49), 2007 | 5.4 |
| Estimated number of people (all ages) living with HIV, 2007 (thousands), estimate | 940 |
| Estimated number of people (all ages) living with HIV, 2007 (thousands), low estimate | 870 |
| Estimated number of people (all ages) living with HIV, 2007 (thousands), high estimate | 1000 |
| Mother–to–child transmission, Estimated number of women (aged 15+) living with HIV, 2007 (thousands) | 480 |
| Paediatric infections, Estimated number of children (aged 0–14) living with HIV, 2007 (thousands) | 130 |
| Prevention among young people, HIV prevalence among young people (aged 15–24), 2007, male | 1.3 |
| Prevention among young people, HIV prevalence among young people (aged 15–24), 2007, female | 3.9 |
| Prevention among young people, % who have comprehensive knowledge of HIV, 2003–2008*, male | 38 |
| Prevention among young people, % who have comprehensive knowledge of HIV, 2003–2008*, female | 32 |
| Prevention among young people, % who used condom at last higher–risk sex, 2003–2008*, male | 55 |
| Prevention among young people, % who used condom at last higher–risk sex, 2003–2008*, female | 38 |
| Orphans, Children (aged 0–17) orphaned by AIDS, 2007, estimate (thousands) | 1200 |
| Orphans, Children (aged 0–17) orphaned due to all causes, 2007, estimate (thousands) | 2500 |
| Orphans, Orphan school attendance ratio, 2003–2008* | 96 |
Related stories/information
HIV and AIDS in Uganda at Avert.org
A comprehensive presentation of the history and present HIV and AIDS situation in Uganda
By Tiberindwa Zakaria, Ultimate Media
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