The Executive Director of UNAIDS and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Michel Sidibé wants President Yoweri Museveni to become a champion in the fight against HIV/AIDS world-wide, saying the world needs to eliminate HIV/AIDS and suppress the virus.
Dr. Sidibé was recently meeting President Yoweri Museveni at his residency at the National Palace in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The President was in Ethiopia to attend the 28th Ordinary AU Summit of the Heads of States and Governments.
President Museveni and Dr. Sidibé discussed a wide range of issues on HIV/AIDS focusing on the possible ways of eliminating HIV/AIDS and how to suppress the virus.
“We want you Mr. President to speak about the fight against HIV/AIDS. We want you to become a champion in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the world,” he said.
Dr. Sidibé told the President that HIV/AIDS can be controlled adding that soon, mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS will be completely eliminated. He said the biggest problem of HIV/AIDS infection is now among adolescent youth aged between 15-19.
“Young girls are infected after sleeping with men aged between 25-40. They do not know if they are infected and they also infect young boys of their age. There is need for health education among the people particularly on HIV/AIDS,” he said.
President Museveni reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to end the AIDS epidemic and said he would support all efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
In the late 1990’s, Uganda was internationally recognized as a success story in Africa, having reduced high HIV infection rates and extended access to life-saving treatment for people living with HIV.
In 2012-2013, Uganda made breakthrough progress by scaling-up its national, evidence-based response to HIV. In 2012 alone 193 000 people living with HIV were newly enrolled in the national treatment programme.
The Ugandan Ministry of Health is also expanding its HIV prevention strategy to reduce the number of new HIV infections in Uganda.