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Growing urban centres hub for new HIV infections, experts say
Ntungamo District HIV focal person Nesterio Twesigye speaking at a Meeting with Journalists in Ntungamo on February 14, 2023. PHOTO BY PEREZ RUMANZI
What you need to know:
- Ntungamo District has the highest prevalence rate as well as percentage of new infections in the western region districts assessed in a period 2021-2023.
HIV/AIDS experts have warned of increasing new infections in Uganda’s western region arguing that “activities in growing urban centres and city suburbs are a strong recipe for disaster in management of the spread of the disease.”
Dr Medard Arinaitwe who heads the Anti-retroviral Treatment (ART)/AIDS clinic at Mbarara regional referral hospital notes that most new infections in the region are traceable in the growing urban setups where alcohol, sex trade and drug use are pnm the rise.
“Some bars do not only sell alcohol but also women for sex. Where all this is happening, HIV is happy, it’s an incubation centre.” Dr Arinaitwe warmed.
He said with increasing poverty levels, drug use and poor compliance to drugs in infected persons, there are more dangers of new infections.
In every 1,000 sexual activities, there are 5 new HIV infections in the western region according to the 2021 HIV index report.
Addressing Journalists at a media Café organized by health journalists network Uganda at Oxford Hotel in Mbarara on Friday, the Mbarara District HIV focal person Mr Christopher Nahabwe said over 90% of all the new infections in the past three years have been traced in growing urban centres.
Mr Nesterio Twesigye, the Ntungamo HIV/ AIDS focal person addressing the media in Ntungamo on Thursday said, the growing centres especially along the Mbarara- Kabale- Katuna Road, Ntungamo Mirama Hills road and Kabale- Kisoro- Bunagana Road have become a danger to ending HIV.
“There are a lot of activities that take place at night in these centres along the main road from Mbarara to the Rwanda border. With good business in sex trade, available money with men moving with cash, the nights here are busier than day time. Sex workers move from one centre to another and tracking them for treatment is a big challenge.” Mr Twesigye said.
Ntungamo District has the highest prevalence rate as well as percentage of new infections in the western region districts assessed in a period 2021-2023 with 6.7% prevalence. There are at least 6 new infections in every 1,000 sexual activities in Ntungamo. There are also 18,000 HIV/AIDS infected persons in the district with 15,000 already on active treatment.
