By Leilah Bbaale
Health experts in Hoima district are worried over the increasing HIV/AIDS infection among the youth in Hoima city and district.
Dr. Lawrence Tumusiime, the acting Hoima District Health Officer says the HIV/AIDS infection rates among young women and men between the ages of 18 to 25 year is worrying.
Speaking during the celebrations to mark Hoima District Men’s Day and 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence on Tuesday, Tumusiime blamed the increasing HIV/AIDS infection on transactional sex, failure to test for HIV/AIDS and stigmatization of positives. The day was organized by Hoima district in partnership with Reproductive Health Uganda in Buhanika Sub County.
He noted that due to poverty, the adolescents are engaging sex for money with older persons who do not care about using condoms and testing before having sex.
Dr. Leonard Ssenyonjo, the care and treatment manager at Baylor Uganda explained that there are 130,00 people living with HIV/AIDS in Hoima district and Hoima city.
According him, the statistics show that Hoima City has 8500 persons living with HIV/AIDS while Hoima district has 5400 persons which presents 6% HIV/AIDS prevalence compared to the National figure which is 5.4%. These are enrolled on the lifelong therapy but, Ssenyonjo says abandon treatment.
He adds that every after three months, they test hundreds of people and over 100 new infections are recorded.
The Hoima District Resident Commissioner Emmy Katere says there is need for the leaders to double efforts in sensitizing the communities mostly the youth to embrace abstinence and use of condoms.
