WORLD AIDS DAY
Over the years, Uganda’s effort in combating HIV and AIDS have registered considerable progress. We succeeded in bringing down the HIV prevalence rate from a peak of 18 percentage in 90s to 6-7 at the turns of the century according to Ministry of Health.
Uganda has made tremendous progress in HIV epidemic control during the last decade. For instance, new HIV infections declined by 50 percent, while AIDS-related mortality declined by approximately 75%. We have also significantly reduced HIV infections from mothers to their babies.
These achievements have been as a result of scaled up prevention and treatments through various interventions like behavioral change communication, However, there are still gaps in our HIV response.
New HIV infections are still high and outstrip AIDS related mortality by two-fold. The uptake of HIV services varies across geographical areas and population sub-groups.
Some population sub-groups such as key and priority populations still have high HIV incidence, and low uptake of HIV services. There are also deficits in linkage to treatment, adherence and retention that varies among population sub-groups. These shortfalls still constrain achievement of sustainable HIV epidemic control in the country.
About 1.46 million people are currently living with HIV in the country, however, approximately 1.2 million (86%) were already enrolled on HIV treatment by December 2019.
As the world commemorates the AIDs day by reflecting on its response to the global fight against HIV/AIDs and honoring the millions of people who have died of AIDS-related illness worldwide, Uganda seems to have relaxed after massive success in this noble war. The growing number of new patients is something to worry government and concerned stakeholders.
Questions must be asked whether previous strategic guidelines and prevention measures are outdated due to the prevailing environment.
This year’s theme is “Equalize”. It is calling on global leaders to boldly recognize the inequalities which are holding back progress in ending AIDS and equalize access to essential HIV services for all population groups in all environments.
The 2014 Gap report shows that HIV is still the second leading cause of death among adolescents according to the World Health Organization report. When HIV/AIDS was first recognized in Uganda in 1983, government responded by taking an open stance to the epidemic and was among the first African countries to establish a national Control Programs.
The famous Presidential Initiative on AIDs Strategy for Communication to Youth (PIASCY) program was enrolled into all schools to sensitize students and pupils on the cause and prevention of the disease.
But today, government seems to be taking a back seat amidst sexual harassment and inappropriate content on internet being fed to young people hence funning the HIV/AIDS spread.
It is high time therefore, government wakes up to reality that previous strategies and methods which effectively contained the AIDs spread like use of conventional communications means alone doesn’t apply today. The current generation spends most of their time on internet and social media surfing on Facebook, twitter, Instagram among others for information and entertainment and so government should relocate them.
Unlike TVs and radios, Social media enable convenient access, anytime and place, to information and service on HIV to young people who are shy from visiting hospitals to seek for HIVs-related services.
Government and other agencies on HIV surveillance, interventions and awareness can through using social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and YouTube as a case study, analyze the prevalence and patterns of social media use related to HIV risk in Uganda, map and statistically test differences in HIV-related social media posts within regions.
For instance in South Africa, a Geocoded data was collected over a three-week period in 2018 from a sample of (654,373 tweets, 90,410 Instagram posts and 14,133 YouTube videos with 1,121 comments) on HIV surveillance . The posts were analysed to find out how social media users used internet to promote awareness on the disease. Of all tweets, 4,524 (0.7%) were found to related to HIV and AIDS. The percentage was similar for Instagram 95 (0.7%) but significantly lower for YouTube 18 (0.1%).
For the country to achieve the 2030 target of ending HIV, Social media among other strategies should be prioritized as source for information to youth and adolescents to reduce the information gap and create equality.
By Hasahya Sovereign,
The author is a Female Affairs Youth Secretary Butaleja District.
sovereignhasahya@gmail.com
