Over 8,000 HIV patients adhering to medication in Zombo
He underscored routine HIV testing as “a cornerstone of public health security.”
Zombo: Zombo District Health Department has commended the 8,916 people living with HIV (PLHIV) currently enrolled in care for achieving an impressive 89.4% antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence rate as the district marked World AIDS Day 2025 under the UNAIDS global theme “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response.”
Addressing hundreds gathered at Ajei Primary School playground, District Health Officer Mark Bonny Bramali presented the latest HIV performance indicators stating that total PLHIV in care are 8,916, ART adherence rate at 89.4%, viral load suppression (VLS) 87.6% and 12-month retention on ART is at 85.3%.
“We are close to the 95-95-95 targets, but we must push harder, especially on viral suppression and retention,” Bramali said, noting that HIV prevalence remains high among adolescents and young people.
Over the past year, 46,281 individuals were tested for HIV in Zombo, yielding a 1.4% positivity rate equivalent to two new diagnoses for every 100 tests. Bramali described this figure as “still unacceptably high.”
Zombo’s adult HIV prevalence stands at 4%, higher than that of Pakwach (3%) and Nebbi (3%), and significantly above the West Nile regional average of 2.3%.
Nationally, the Uganda AIDS Commission reports five new infections every hour (37,000 annually), 54 HIV-related deaths daily, 4,700 infants acquiring HIV each year through mother-to-child transmission and MTCT rate 466 per 100,000 live births.
Collins Canudwoga, Chairperson of the Zombo District PLHIV Network Forum, identified stigma, discrimination, and suboptimal ART adherence among men as major barriers to achieving epidemic control.
Several PLHIV shared emotional testimonies of reaching undetectable viral loads through consistent treatment, calling on community members to seek early diagnosis and remain engaged in lifelong care.
Assistant Resident District Commissioner Bruno Mananu underscored routine HIV testing as “a cornerstone of public health security.”
Meanwhile, chief guest Ora County MP Hon. Lawrence Biyika Songa urged young people to avoid high-risk behaviours such as multiple sexual partnerships, alcohol misuse, and late-night lifestyles.
The ceremony featured a vibrant march through Ajei Trading Centre, led by the St. Aloysius College Nyapea Brass Band, with PLHIV groups, health workers, and district leaders participating.
As the world marked the 37th World AIDS Day, UNAIDS highlighted the urgent need to address 2025 funding disruptions that have slowed progress in many low- and middle-income countries. The agency called for increased domestic financing, human rights-based interventions, and rapid adoption of innovative HIV prevention tools such as long-acting PrEP.
Globally, 77% of the 39 million people living with HIV are on ART, and 94% of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression demonstrating that sustained political and financial commitment is critical to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
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