Lira Diocese Marks World AIDS Day amidst Rising HIV Prevalence 

Lira Diocese Marks World AIDS Day amidst Rising HIV Prevalence

Health: By Lira Diocese Communications Department 

Lira, Uganda – The Lira Diocese HIV/AIDS Focal Office has joined the global community in observing World AIDS Day, held annually on December 1st. This year’s theme, “Take the right path: My health, my right,” serves as a reminder to intensify efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

According to Ms. Apio Dina, the HIV/AIDS focal person for Lira Diocese, the event aims to educate community members who may still be unaware of the risks and consequences of HIV/AIDS, contributing to the rising prevalence in the region.

Uganda’s HIV/AIDS statistics are alarming, with 1,492,407 people living with the disease, including 910,000 women, 510,000 men, and 72,000 children. The national prevalence rate stands at 5.1%, with women at 6.6% and men at 3.6%. Lira City has a concerning prevalence rate of 12%, significantly higher than the national average.

Dina highlighted several challenges in the battle against HIV, including lack of awareness, fear of testing and treatment, intimate partner violence, and drug shortages. Poverty has also placed young girls at risk, exposing them to older men and multiple sexual partners, exacerbating the spread of the disease.

To enhance the response to HIV, Dina emphasized the importance of adopting a multi-sectorial approach, focusing on behavioral change, risk reduction strategies, and service delivery. The church is actively working to tackle structural issues, such as poverty, sexual and gender-based violence, and providing pastoral care to those affected.

As the world marks World AIDS Day, the Lira Diocese HIV/AIDS Focal Office calls on communities to take the right path, prioritizing their health and well-being, and working together to eradicate HIV/AIDS by 2030.