Masindi tops Bunyoro in new HIV/AIDS infections
He called for faithfulness among partners and praised the President’s commitment to the HIV/AIDS fight.
Masindi: Masindi District has recorded the highest number of new HIV/AIDS infections in the Bunyoro Sub-region, with a total of 510 new cases and a 6.5% prevalence rate in 2024.
The figures were revealed during a stakeholder dissemination of HIV/AIDS messages and dialogue held at Kolping Hotel, Masindi Town on Friday.
According to the statistics presented, Masindi recorded 510 new infections with 6.5% prevalence rate, Kiryandongo was the second with 390 new cases with 4.2% prevalence rate while Hoima City recorded 200 new cases, but the highest prevalence rate at 6.7%
Nationally, Uganda recorded 38,000 new HIV/AIDS cases in 2024, with a prevalence rate of 5.7%, according to Dr. Shaban Mugerwa from the Uganda AIDS Commission, operating under the Office of the President.
He partly attributed the increase in infections to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted healthcare services and outreach programs.
Nyasha Chongere from the UNAIDS Country Office emphasized the need to promote equity in communities and strengthen the fight against HIV/AIDS to meet the global goal of ending the epidemic by 2030.
She noted that globally, 40 million people are living with HIV, but Uganda has seen a 60% decline in new infections, according to 2023 data.
Chongere, however, cited funding cuts, stigma, and discrimination as ongoing barriers to progress.
Lillian Damali Nabunya, Officer in Charge at Masindi Government Prison, reported that mandatory medical screenings help many suspects learn their HIV status upon entry into prison.
Meanwhile, Darius Nandinda, the Resident District Commissioner of Masindi, observed a shift in public perception of the disease. “In the past, people feared HIV/AIDS, but today, positive living has escalated the spread since victims can live over 30 years on medication,” he said.
He called for faithfulness among partners and praised the President’s commitment to the HIV/AIDS fight.
Deputy Mayor Betty Kyomuhendo linked the rising infections to increased population movement and activity related to road construction, factories like Kinyara, and the presence of security institutions such as the police and UPDF barracks that draw people from various regions.
Dr. Mugerwa revealed in an interview that the government plans to research and potentially gazette high-risk areas such as construction sites and industrial zones to contain further spread of the virus.
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