Uganda Losing Fight against HIV/AIDS. 5/4/11
Losing due to commercialisation of the pandemic in the country
By Francis Kagolo
5 April 2011
UGANDA is losing the fight against HIV/AIDS due to commercialisation of the pandemic in the country, a top United Nations (UN) official, has said.
Musa Bungudu, the coordinator of the UN programme on HIV/AIDS, blamed the Government agencies and local charity organisations for concentrating on holding workshops instead of doing “real work” that could deter new infections.
“Uganda used to be a model country in the struggle against HIV/AIDS. However, HIV/AIDS is being commercialised. We have many workshops and conferences, which are mostly held in Kampala,” he said.
Bungudu was yesterday speaking at a conference on HIV/AIDS, organised by the Uganda National Academy of Sciences at Serena Resort in Wakiso district.
Bungudu disclosed that Uganda gets over $320m for HIV/AIDS control and treatment from the United States alone.
He asked the Government to increase health funding to at least 15% of the national budget as agreed upon in the 2001 Abuja Declaration.
Uganda was held as a model for Africa in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the early 1990s.