Museveni calls for behaviour change in fight against HIV

While giving an address during the annual World Aids Day commemoration event held in Rukungiri on 1 December, the President said the best way of fighting the disease is through preventive measures such as behaviour change.

“The best way we can fight this disease is through behavioral change among our people, most especially the youth. Prevention is the best way we can do this,” he said, adding that, “even if you get the disease and you are put on ARVs, you have already reduced your potential. I saw this when army men who were already infected failed to perform some of their duties.”

The President also called upon the religious leaders to champion the fight against HIV/AIDs through promoting behavioural change.

“I urge our religious leaders to join in the fight against the virus by promoting behavioural change among the people. They have a moral ground to champion this cause,” he said.

The World Aids Day is commemorated annually on the 1 December.

According to WHO, 38.4 million people were living with HIV by close of 2021. Adults aged between 15-49 years worldwide are living with HIV, although the burden of the epidemic continues to vary considerably between countries and regions.

Current HIV/AIDs WHO data also indicates that since the beginning of the epidemic, 84.2 million people have been infected with the HIV virus and about 40.1 million people have died.

The WHO Africa region remains the most severely affected, with nearly one in every 25 adults (3.4%) living with HIV and accounting for more than two-thirds of the people living with HIV worldwide.