This was said by the Tooro Kingdom premier, Steven Kiyingi who said it’s the way people can receive important information.

“A lot has been done in the Kingdom to create awareness about the spread and prevention of HIV/Aids but a lot still needs to be done because instead of reducing it is increasing. The King has now thought of installing plasma screens displaying key messages on prevention” Kiyingi said.

Despite King Oyo being the UNAIDS ambassador in the fight against HIV/Aids, the prevalence rate is still very high in his Kingdom especially in Fort Portal city where the Kingdom headquarters are located.

On several occasions, the King has always called upon his subjects to desist from acts that can expose them to HIV/Aids and several health camps have been conducted and awareness messages delivered to the population.

A new report that was released last year by Uganda Aids Commission (UAC) shows that the transmission of HIV/Aids in Fort Portal city is increasing.

According to the report, the HIV/Aids prevalence rate in Fort Portal city stands at 17.8percent which if far above the national average of 5.1 percent.

This sparked concern among regional leaders and officials from the UAC.

An official at UAC western Uganda, Michael Masiko said joint efforts should be directed towards Fort Portal city to counter the rising infections.

“Unlike the past, when Kalangala district led in HIV/Aids prevalence, Fort Portal city now holds that unfortunate distinction. We are collaborating with Tooro sub region leaders to devise effective solutions” he said.

Dr.Richard Mugahi, the assistant commissioner in charge of reproductive and infant health in the ministry of health identified poverty, gender-based violence and limited male involvement in HIV testing as key factors driving high HIV prevalence.

“I advise the ministry of health to draft messages that reasonate with the current generation. For example fighting the scourge through social media” he said.

Despite the HIV/Aids prevalence rate remaining at 17.8 percent in Fort Portal city, there is an alarming trend of new infections being registered in women than in men.

Stakeholders stress that if this pattern is not addressed urgently, it could pose a significant burden on the city’s efforts to eradicate the scourge by 2030.

According to Evan Amara, the HIV/Aids focal person for Fort Portal city, the current number of people living with HIV/Aids is 20,848, of which 12,924 are women (62 percent) and 7,922 are men (38 percent) as of December last year.

She said between October and December last year, at least 237 new HIV/Aids cases were registered of which 100 were male and 137 were female from the 13 health facilities in the city.

Out of the 237 new infections, 27 were infections acquired within the past 12 months and 15 of them were among individuals aged 20 to 34, indicating a concerning trend of increasing infections among the youth.

Among the 13 health facilities accredited to offer HIV/Aids services, Fort Portal Regional Referral hospital caters for the highest number of people living with HIV/Aids, totaling to 8,134 individuals of which 5,134 are women and 3,001 are men.

The stakeholders blame the trend on women’s vulnerability and exposure, which they said places them at a highest risk of contracting the infection.

Rev. Sarah Kakyo from Ruwenzori Diocese attributed the rise in new infections to cross-generational sex.

“Some older men who are infected with HIV/Aids nowadays seek relationships with young girls seducing them with money. In turn, these young girls desiring quick money engage in relationships with these men and end up contracting the infection” Rev. Kakyo said.

The Fort Portal city deputy mayor, Betty Mujungu stressed the need for behavior change and addressing stereotypes in Tooro sub region.

“People have a misguided notion that Batooro people are inclined to have sex at an early age, which is incorrect and we condemn it. Its not in our culture. There are numerous stereotypes and public messages that need debunking because such misconceptions lead to the spread of HIV/Aids” she said.

She urged the Ministry of health to consider rebranding HIV/Aids messaging for the public, saying the current generation prefers receiving information through songs and drama rather than traditional radio talk shows.

During the Health Journalists Network Uganda (HEJNU) media café to equip journalists on how best to report health stories at holy innocents’ children’s hospital, Fredrick Kamugisha-Health educator Mbarara district, said that the journey of eliminating mother to child transmission (EMCT) begins with the mothers going for antenatal care.

“The mother must understand the importance of breastfeeding and you cannot start talking about breastfeeding after delivery” Kamugisha said

He said that it is during antenatal care that the mother is taken through the importance of breastfeeding and challenges likely to be faced thus appealing to pregnant women to always go for early antenatal care to protect their babies from HIV transmission.

“When a pregnant mother is examined and found positive, she is initiated immediately to reduce the viral load of that mother to stop the mother-child transmission” Kamugisha said

He added that “At 6 weeks we do what we call early infant diagnosis (PCR test) to ascertain whether a child is positive or negative.

Kamugisha said that the World health organization (WHO) recommendation of HIV mothers avoiding breastfeeding the babies to prevent them from acquiring the virus has been challenged by socioeconomic status in Africa which poses a risk to the newborns.

“This is practical if there are affordable and feasible alternatives that can feed that child but basing on our setting like Africa, Uganda in particular it may not be possible” adding that, if they are not available then we recommend breastfeeding” he said

Kamugisha added that if the mother is not taking the drugs properly, the viral load will be high and the virus will exist in the milk thus encouraging institutional deliveries where medics educate the mothers on EMCT.

“They need to understand that taking drugs consistently reduces risks of children from acquiring HIV/AIDS.” He said

According to the Ministry of health (MOH) report , before introduction of EMCT, the mother to child transmission used to be between 25-40 percent but with the ushering in of the programme, the HIV rate in breastfeeding mothers went as low as below 5 percent and with non-breastfeeding mothers as low as below 2 percent.

The HIV prevalence rate in Mbarara district is 4.1 percent and the incidence rate is at 3 per a 000, meaning that out of 1000 people in the district, three can acquire HIV, with a total of 7000 people HIV positive.

According to Dr. Mike Kyewalyanga, pediatrician at Holy Innocents Children’s hospital, 5 percent of HIV can be transmitted through breastfeeding thus appealing to positive mothers to breastfeed for just a year.

“After one year, the benefits of breast milk have reduced so we rather stop the breastfeeding and minimise the risk of transmission than keeping the baby on the breast with minimal benefits” Kyewalyanga emphasized

He said that mother to child transmission currently stands at 466 per 000s of HIV cases meaning that 466 children are at a risk of HIV transmission out 100,000 live buts (mothers with HIV)

“The target as per world health organization and UNICEF should be 50 mothers out of 100,000 to take us to the vision 95-95-95 to eliminate HIV/AIDS by 2030” he said

Dr.  Kyewalyanga partially attributes the high HIV prevalence rate to the 2020 covid19 lockdown that denied patients access to proper medication to suppress the virus.

“In the healthcare giving system there was an increase in HIV spread because people would not come to the facilities to test the antiretroviral therapy (ART) as before. And then also confining people in a redundant area worsened the sexual behavior,” he said

Kyewalyanga challenged the adolescents to avoid unprotected sex. “Your sexual behavior should be upright, don’t find partners and you believe that you tested them and they are HIV negative thinking they are the right sexual partner for you, and you will fall into a trap. I advise that if you cannot abstain then use a condom.” He explained

Catherine Ankunda, a mother and an HIV victim in Mbarara, appreciated the government’s efforts to curb mother to child HIV/AIDS transmission.

“If you go to the hospital they test and sensitize you on how you should live. It is up to you as a parent to practise whatever they tell you to protect your child from HIV transmission or not” Ankunda said

She said that being HIV positive is not the end of life, thus encouraging people infected with the virus to routinely take their medication to suppress the viral load.

“People should know their status and they should know that living with HIV is not a crime. It is not the end of life because you can live like any other person if you follow the given counselling and medication” Ankunda said

She also encouraged other people who are sick to open up to their partners. “ I know it is hard but I opened up and I got a man who is negative we produced a healthy baby, we are living happily a discordancy life and my husband is very supportive so I advise HIV positive mothers to follow the medics’ prescription so that we can always produce healthy children” Ankunda explained

However she challenged researchers to get advanced HIV treatment for babies in the form of an injection rather than tablets that are complicated to administer the babies at birth preventing them from HIV transmission.

“The biggest challenge is administering the drug to the child, if it was an injection at least there it would be easy for the children but sometimes you give her, she vomits and you find she has not swallowed the prescribed dose it is a challenge that I have so far encountered protecting my child from transmission” Ankunda emphasized

AIDS is a leading cause of death among young people aged 10-24 in Africa and the second leading cause globally according to the World Health Organization [WHO]. It is estimated that the number of 10-24-year-old Africans is set to rise more than 750 million by 2060 if HIV/AIDS prevention mechanisms are not taken seriously.

In Uganda, the HIV prevalence rate stands at 5.4 percent with females contributing a greater percentage compared to males at 3.9 percent. The highly affected districts include; Kalangala, Fort Portal, Mbarara, Bushenyi among others.

The major drivers of HIV prevalence include; transactional sex practiced by commercial sex workers, alcohol influence, cultural practices, poverty, myths, unsterilized equipment among other existing modes of transmission.

According to Irene Atuhairwe Duhaga, Country Director, Seed Global Health, the five year MUST partnership will expire in June 2024 and immediately a new collaboration will be signed to extend emergency care education and practise with both the university and the hospital. “MUST is one of our biggest partners since 2013, and we are happy that we are continuing to work with you in the next 6 years” Atuhairwe said She added that “one of the objectives for the courtesy visit is to introduce to you Martin from Malawi who is our new director in charge of impact and innovation, and secondly it is to shade more light on what the next phase of the partnership will be as we are coming to the end of the current strategy plan for this year”.

Unlike the previous 5 year strategy, Atuhairwe stipulated that the new collaboration will be increased to 6 years to enable the two entities conclude some of the projects that were interrupted by Covid19 pandemic. “The initial plan was for a 5 year development plan but now we are going to do a 6 year partnership strategy which will be launched in June 2024. And the reason for a 6 year is that internally we want to use the bridging year to take stock of what happened but also develop ourselves internally in terms of capacity building to be able to support partnerships not only here in Uganda but across the 4 countries we are working in” she explained According to Atuhairwe, the new strategy will focus on emergency care and maternal health to save mothers’ lives during labour.“We want to focus on a new strategy than the initial component where we have done a lot on academia and putting up a faculty department that is running now we want to see it ringing an impact,” she said.

Martin Msukwa, Managing Director impact and innovation, Seed Global Health, retaliated that seed global health will emphasize the three pillars of education, practice and policy for the next 6 years. “Much as we want to ensure clinical practice, but we are still going to focus on three pillars that is education, practice and policies and we shall use the bottom-up approach where I am happy that Uganda is leading.” Msukwa said

He emphasised that trainers in emergency medicine will have to be absorbed in the system to be able to directly support the health sector strategic plans and human resource strategic plans in developing countries rather than going on the streets to look for jobs. “We really want to make sure that people who are getting trained and improving in clinical practice are absorbed in the system whether with the government or even those in private practice. And it is not only in Uganda but in other countries that we are supporting such as Malawi and Zambia” Msukwa explained

He added that “We are making a deliberate move to make sure that for the coming 5 years our partners should be country led and also be able to give us guidance on what to work on”.“As seed global we are also moving forward to make sure that whatever we are doing is country led. We want to make sure that our partners we work with should drive the agenda.” Msukwa said

Dr. Prisca Mary Kizito, Head of department, Emergency Medicine Physician and Lecturer at Mbarara University of Science and Technology appealed to seed global to continue supporting clinical medicine as a future investment to reverse avoidable material deaths that arise due to lack of skills. “Seed global started collaborating with MUST in 2013 and we are happy that the vision that we started 5 years ago we are now registering progress in emergency medicine specialty, training in clinical care and advocacy, adding that, for example we started the emergency specialty in 2017 with only 5 residents, but today we are having 14 living and very functional residents who have all graduated over the past four years because of the continuous from seed global health” Kizito explained

She added that “For years MUST has always struggled with space but today at least we have enough space and thanks to seed global”. “We started from a small tea room in 2017 which was also a lecture room but seed suggested that emergency medicine deserves better attention and better care whereby they supplied us with computers, tables and chairs thus shifting from that small room to a bigger space where we are currently operating from” Kizito implored

Prof. Joseph Ngonzi, Dean Faculty medicine, MUST, appreciated seed global partnership that has changed the face of medicine as a core course at Mbarara University. “We don’t take our engagement with you for granted, you have made great strides towards emergency medicine and even in other areas regarding to trainings, clinical care, staff support because must initially did not have any physician in emergency medicine” Ngonzi said He confirmed that together with MRRH, they will be excited to co-sign the MOU with Seed Global health to help to strengthen the support to amplify emergency medicine both in the university and the hospital.

“Of course without the referral, we would not be having a primary teaching hospital unless we search elsewhere so we shall continue working together in signing the new deal to co-exist,” Ngonzi said .He further asked seed global health to support the university in other areas which are instrumental such as neonatal component and clinical care in terms of education, mentorship and research.“Seed global picked us from somewhere and I can now see that the journey is well defined. We pray that the next 6 years’ journey will be with a clear roadmap.” Ngonzi said

Prof. Nickson Kamukama, Acting Vice Chancellor, MUST, urged Ugandans to embrace internationalization to help to solve societal challenges. “Internationalization is the way to go that is why we are now registering results in emergency medicine” he said adding that, we have a tendency of promoting inbreeding which is not helping us. Let’s go beyond the boundaries of Uganda and Africa to work together to get solutions for our societal challenges” Kamukama explained Seed Global Health Uganda is a non-government organization that partners to train nurses, midwives, and physicians, building complete health teams that can provide high-quality care and save lives.

The MUST-MRRH-SEED interdisciplinary collaboration started in 2013 where they have so far received ultrasound equipment, training and capacity building as part of life saving intervention on trauma, maternal health and emergency cases.

During the inspection, it was evident that the water system, overseen by Kotido DLG, aimed to provide safe water to an estimated 12,000 Households spread across five villages. This initiative marked a significant milestone in ensuring access to clean and safe water for communities in the area.

Relatedly; to enhance sanitation and hygiene practices, the District initiated five villages that previously lacked adequate latrine or handwashing facilities. Following an intensive four-month campaign, remarkable progress was observed, with latrine coverage and handwashing facilities increasing from 0% to 95%.

However, despite these achievements, it was noted that full coverage had not yet been attained. Consequently, five villages were not declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) until every household was accounted for.

Organized by the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) – Karamoja Water Management Zone (KWMZ), along with Youth Go Green and the youth sub-committee, the aim was to get young minds buzzing about how to tackle big environmental problems. From across the Eastern Region, 10 universities and 10 schools received invitations. The idea was to bring in fresh ideas and viewpoints on how to handle issues like saving water, taking care of nature, and dealing with climate change.

At the debates, participants shared their thoughts on things like saving water, keeping things clean, using green energy, and fighting climate change. It was all about encouraging them to think hard and come up with smart ways to help their communities and the environment.

The march, which took place  today, served as a platform to highlight the importance of water conservation, environmental protection, and climate resilience in the Eastern region. Participants waved banners and placards adorned with messages promoting sustainable water management practices, eco-friendly initiatives, and actions to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Representatives from MWE, NEMA, Eco Green, and NWSC led the procession, emphasizing the need for collective action to safeguard the region’s water resources and preserve its natural ecosystems.

In addition to the march, the Eastern Regional Water Week activities include a series of workshops, seminars, and community outreach programs scheduled throughout the week. These initiatives aim to empower local communities, government agencies, and other stakeholders with knowledge and tools to address water and environmental challenges effectively.

Kazooba echoed the urgency of addressing the impact of climate effects on existing sanitation infrastructure, particularly highlighting the vulnerability of low-income school institutions. She presented  the necessity for innovative approaches in the sanitation value chain for cities and towns, all while maintaining a keen awareness of the financial constraints faced by those unable to afford even minimal contributions.

On the Wash and Learn programme, Implemented in Uganda by a consortium of partners with support from SIMAVI, she noted the proactive stance taken  in bridging the gap for marginalized communities and schools in western Uganda, through smart, creative, and resilient solutions, noting that the 3 year  programme  was steering initiatives that ensure inclusivity and a quick means to sustainable sanitation goals.

Kazooba on innovation highlighted the transition from Fosa Alterna to Urine Diverting Dry Toilets (UDDT) in schools. ”This shift exemplifies SIMAVI’s commitment to adopting innovative solutions that are not only effective but also tailored to the specific needs and challenges faced by these communities and institutions.” She said .

Mr. John Mutebe, Program Manager at Water and Sanitation Entreprenuers Association of Uganda (WASEU),an a implementing partners of the Wash & Learn  programme said their  approach to implementation extends beyond the mere deployment of technology. It involves the establishment of collaborative learning networks and fostering partnerships that empower communities.

In Diana’s  closing remarks during a panel submission , she laid emphasis on community involvement and engagement, stating that as an institution, SIMAVI recognizes that sustainable change is only possible when those directly affected are active participants in the process.

Photo Caption: (Left) Diana Kazooba,speaks to the Prof. Ogata Ryuji (Right) at after her presentation at IWA 2023 in Rwanda.

The refurbishment which included wall corrections , painting of walls , concrete ramp construction, wall and floor  tiling ,sanitary fittings , rain water gutters installation and replacement of door locks  among others, has cost the  financial institution UGX 151 million.

While handing over the facility to the management of the health facility  on Friday afternoon, Jachan Omach, the Board Chairman at Pride Microfinance, said they are extremely delighted to be partnering with St Phillips Health Centre II and the Diocese of Northern Uganda to support the government of Uganda in their bid to improve healthcare in Uganda.

According to Jachan, the support follows a request tabled to them by the management of the facility to help them facelift the collapsing facility buildings that were posing danger to the patients.

He has lauded  the management of the  facility for the great work they are doing  and assured them of more support to ensure that the facility is elevated to a health centre III.

Reverend Kenneth Oyet, the Diocesan Secretary who represented the Bishop of Diocese of Northern Uganda, has thanked Pride Microfinance for support which he says has greatly improved the face of the facility which was in a sorrowful state.

He has pledged that as diocese they will do everything possible to maintain the standard and provide quality services to the population in the city urging the community to make good use of the facility to better their health.

Adiyo Filder, the Acting City Health Officer In charge of Maternal Health, also lauded the financial institution for the great support towards refurbishing the facility which she says  will go along in improving health services in Gulu City.

In 2021 Pride also supported St Philips by refurbishing their maternity ward, equipped it with delivery beds and also established a patient waiting shed to support expectant mothers seeking antennal care.

St Phillips Health Centre II was constructed 60 years ago and serves the communities in Kanyagoga, Patuda, Custom Corner, Kirombe, Forgod, Layibi, Lacor and Mican among others with a total population of 24,000.

According to the report, of 500 commercial sex workers interviewed, 48% have had unwanted pregnancies out of which 45% have opted for unsafe abortion.

The victims aged between 19-35 used rudimentary ways to get rid of their pregnancies including use of sharp objects, local herbs and abortion termination pills.

The report further revealed that of the 45% who had unsafe abortion, five have lost their lives as result of the complication.

Martha Akello, the Executive Director of Voice of Community, has blamed the high cases of unwanted pregnancies and abortion among sex workers on the limited access to sexual reproductive health and rights services targeting sex workers.

According to Akello, most sex workers because of limited access to sexual reproductive health and rights information, they don’t use protection thus leading to unintended pregnancies hence abortion since pregnancy prevents them from carrying on with their business.

Akello called upon the health departments in Acholi to consider outreaches targeting sex workers to help reduce the high rate of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted Infections among the sex workers.

Anena Caroline, a Health Worker attached to Labworomor Health Centre III in Palaro sub county, Gulu District, said the biggest problem is that most sex workers fear going to health facilities to seek sexual reproductive health and rights services.

She however stressed that the health department has embarked on outreaches to provide services to sex workers.

Adong Joyce, a commercial sex worker, attributed the high rate of unwanted pregnancies among them demands by their clients to have live sex coupled with the absence of unfriendly corners at health facilities targeting sex workers.

Abortion in Uganda is illegal unless performed by a licensed medical doctor in a situation where the woman’s life is deemed to be at risk. With women lacking access to safe and legal abortions, many of them turn to unsafe abortion practices, such as self-induced.

The 7th Edition of International Water Association, Water and Development Congress & Exhibition (IWA – WDCE) 2023 convenes at Kigali Convention Centre on 10-14 December 2023.

The WDCE 2023 brings water professionals around the globe to discuss water and sanitation opportunities and challenges to come up with innovative solutions geared towards ensuring safe, sustainable and climate-resilient water and sanitation services for all.

Dubbed under the theme ”Water, sanitation, and climate resilience – keys to a water-wise future”, the International Water Association’s Water and Development Congress & Exhibition 2023 is bringing together water and sanitation practitioners including policy makers, technologists, researchers, academia, members of the civil society, and financiers, amongst others, to share knowledge and best practices that would shape Africa’s innovation potential to meet the SDGs and address water issues.

The WDCE 2023 is hosted by the Republic of Rwanda under the joint coordination of IWA and Water and Sanitation Group (WASAC Ltd). The event will attract over 100 exhibitors around the global ultimately to showcase solutions in the water and sanitation sector.

The unique contributing factor of the 7th edition of WDCE2023 is built around five broad thematic areas:

• Drinking water treatment and supply
• Wastewater treatment and sanitation services
• Integrated water management and planning
• Utility management and operation
• Governance and finance.

This is an outstanding opportunity for governments and other stakeholders to share insights on specific needs and interests that would be game changers to low- and middle-income countries in the water and sanitation sector.

IWA is the leading network and global knowledge hub for all water professionals and anyone committed to the future of water. With its legacy of over seventy years, it connects water professionals in more than 140 countries to find solutions to global water challenges as part of a broader sustainability agenda. IWA also promotes and supports technological innovation and best practices through international frameworks and standards.

“The 2030 deadline to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals is approaching fast. I believe all of those gathering in Kigali share a sense of urgency to meet on the vital issues around water, to share much-needed insights and experience, and to better secure progress towards those goals,” said IWA President Tom Mollenkopf.

“Both developed and developing economies are facing the issues of inadequate water supply, inadequate sanitation services, issues of climate change, management challenges among water utilities, and insufficient investment resources towards accelerating water and sanitation infrastructure. The Congress provides an opportunity to explore smart innovations and lessons from the region that can accelerate change,” commented Abimana Fidele, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure in Rwanda.

“We are proud to be co-hosting the Congress. Rwanda has made remarkable strides towards sustainable water management and sanitation. This means that our country provides an ideal setting for this significant event. This is an opportunity to forge new partnerships and strengthen collective efforts towards achieving water security and sanitation for sustainable development,” adds Prof. Omar Munyaneza CEO of WASAC Group Ltd.

“The value of the Congress platform is especially clear when it comes to sanitation, one of the core strands of the event theme. This is not just about needs; it is about the potential for low- and middle-income countries to pursue a different path. This offers exciting opportunities to combine decentralized and off-grid technologies in ways that integrate circular economy approaches.” stresses Kala Vairavamoorthy, Executive Director of IWA

Pictured from left to right: Prof. Omar Munyaneza, Abimana Fidele, Tom Mollenkopf