US pledges more support to Uganda’s HIV/AIDS fight

The United States of America (USA) has promised further support towards the fight against HIV/AIDS in Uganda through ensuring accessibility to preventive and treatment measures in the East African country.

Early this week, US Ambassador to Uganda William W. Popp commended Rakai Health Sciences Program (RHSP) scientists and researchers for high impact research in the HIV/AIDS field, among other infectious diseases.

He also hailed the centre for its gains in the fields of reproductive health research.

“The goal now is to ensure widespread availability of injectable long-term equivalence of the Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP),” he added.

The diplomat explained that America is in the early stages of ensuring that more of the PrEP gets to Uganda as well as other parts of the world.

For more than 20 years, US has significantly committed to reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Uganda.  

However, on September 9, Popp said there are still cost considerations and other challenges, asking HIV positive people to use the available measures.

“Even as we work towards long term injectable solutions, utilize the available PrEP through the PEPFAR Program so that you know your status. If they are HIV positive, let them take Antiretroviral (ARVs) medicines, to suppress their viral loads, so that they are not transmitting it to other people,” he advised.

More than 1.4 million people in Ugandan are taking ARVs provided free of charge through the PEPFAR program.

Every year, USA spends more than $500m on health programs, primarily targeting HIV, Malaria, Tuberculosis, and other disease prevention.

Dr Ronald Moses Galiwango, a researcher at RHSP told the ambassador that they have also made considerable progress in safe male circumcision studies.

USA is the world's leading global health donor and largest provider of health assistance to Uganda where an estimated more than 1.35 million people are living with HIV.

Since 2004, PEPFAR has invested nearly $4.5b in building Uganda's capacity to respond to HIV/AIDS and improving the overall health of Ugandans.

About RHSP

Founded in 1987 under the Rakai Project, RHSP focuses on research that leads to interventions against the HIV epidemic.

RHSP receives significant support from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through PEPFAR.