New Partnership Opens HIV/AIDS Clinic in Ugandan Market To Provide Antiretroviral Treatment at No Cost to Vendors

HIV-positive vendors in East Africa's largest market, which is located in Kampala, Uganda, will be able to access antiretroviral drugs at no cost through a new HIV/AIDS treatment clinic that opened there on Tuesday, the Monitor/AllAfrica.com reports (Miti, Monitor/AllAfrica.com, 7/18). The Uganda Cares-St. Balikuddembe Market Clinic, which Ugandan first lady Janet Museveni dedicated on Tuesday, is the result of a new partnership among the Kampala City Council, the United Market Vendors Association, Development Initiatives International, Marie Stopes Uganda and AHF Global Immunity, an international program of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. The goal of the program is to incorporate HIV/AIDS treatment into the services already being provided by local government and nongovernmental organizations at the Kampala market, including counseling, testing and other social services. "Our goal is to bring lifesaving AIDS drug treatments to many more people in Uganda in an easy, accessible location, and what better place than the busiest marketplace in East Africa?" Bernard Okongo, Africa bureau chief for AHF Global Immunity, asked. AHF Global Immunity and Uganda Cares operate 10 other HIV/AIDS treatment clinics throughout the country (AHF release, 7/19).