NEWS– Kanungu District, with support from the National STI Control Unit/MARPI Mulago, held an orientation meeting, in the District Board Room. The meeting focused on planning HIV prevention through the use of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).
Peter Ziwa, an administrator at MARPI, emphasized that research indicates young people are the most at risk of HIV in the country. He highlighted the national responsibility to ensure their safety. According to the population census, the second most at-risk population is the age group around 30 years.
Harriet Nangobi presented a report stating that the primary goal in Kanungu is HIV prevention. The district has implemented the ABC strategy and oriented the community on the Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP). She stressed that achieving national health goals requires collective efforts from health workers, security personnel, and the entire community.
Nangobi noted that Uganda continues to have a high HIV incidence rate of 5.5% among adults aged 15-49 years, with 1.3 million aged 15 years and older living with HIV. Among those aged 15 to 24 years, the incidence rate is 1.8%, which is three times higher in women than in men. Uganda’s combination HIV prevention strategy includes structural, behavioral, and biomedical interventions such as Safe Male Circumcision (SMC), ARVs for prevention and treatment (PMTCT, PrEP, PEP).
Since adopting this combination prevention strategy, Uganda has seen a significant reduction in new HIV infections, from 123,000 in 2015 to 53,000 in 2018 and 38,000 in 2020.
PrEP implementation began in 2017 in six sites across the country and is being rolled out in phases. To increase accessibility and convenience, PrEP will also be available in private pharmacies, with ten pharmacies currently piloting the initiative. This measure aims to assist youth, whose initial use of condoms is low, by providing all available prevention options. PrEP is 95% effective if taken as prescribed, and starting in October, injections and vaginal rings will also be available.
Mwesigye Ambrose, the RDC of Kanungu, expressed concern about potential increases in promiscuous behavior if PrEP has no negative effects on human nature. However, he acknowledged PrEP as an effective HIV prevention method. He suggested researching whether circumcision contributes to promiscuous behavior, though he noted that men might not be reliable respondents in such research. He stressed the importance of balancing prevention with cultural values to ensure that youth understand the need to preserve themselves for their partners.
Mr. Kerebende Ephraem highlighted that PrEP is not a viable option within prison settings due to the absence of conjugal rights for prisoners. This limitation makes it impractical to implement PrEP as an HIV prevention strategy in such environments.
Ambrose called on the community to stay focused, share information, and create an informed and resilient environment. Achieving a healthy population is one of the country’s greatest efforts. Beyond agricultural products like coffee and tea, he noted the potential economic benefit from preparing the youth for the international labor market.
Eng. Sam Arinaitwe Kajojo appreciated the team’s efforts and assured full support in sensitizing the community about HIV prevention and promoting PrEP.
PrEP, or Pre-exposure Prophylaxis, is a preventive medication taken by individuals who are at high risk of contracting HIV. When taken as prescribed, it is highly effective at reducing the risk of HIV infection from sex or injection drug use. PrEP is a critical tool in the fight against HIV, providing an additional layer of protection alongside other preventive measures.
