Uganda Must Increase Efforts To Curb Country’s HIV/AIDS Epidemic, AIDS Commission Official Says
Uganda must make greater strides toward stemming the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country, AIDS Commission Director General David Kihumuro Apuuli said Monday when releasing Uganda's 2005 HIV/AIDS status survey, Uganda's New Vision reports. Apuuli, speaking at the fourth Annual Partnership Forum outside the capital city of Kampala, said the report shows that transmission rates are shifting from the youth to Ugandan adults ages 30 to 40, with current prevalence rates in that age group at 6.4% (Jaramogi, New Vision, 1/31). "We thought we were doing well in the fight against HIV/AIDS but instead HIV/AIDS is getting on us and we are not getting on top of it," Apuuli said. He added, "The prevalence is very high among females and in urban centers" (Xinhuanet, 1/31). The Vice President of Uganda, Gilbert Bukenya, who opened the forum, said that the government has begun the construction of an antiretroviral and antimalarial drug factory in Luzira, Uganda, which is expected to be ready to start production by June. There are at least 1.4 million Ugandans living with HIV/AIDS, according to New Vision (New Vision, 1/31).
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