Uganda recorded approximately 34,000 new HIV infections in 2025, with young people aged 15 to 24 accounting for 38 per cent of the cases, while young women contributed 77 per cent of infections in this age group, according to the latest national HIV and AIDS estimates.
The figures released by the Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, show that although new infections have declined by 64 per cent since 2010, the country continues to face significant challenges in preventing new infections, particularly among adolescent girls and young women.
The report indicates that Uganda has approximately 1.567 million people living with HIV, comprising 1.496 million adults aged 15 years and above and 71,000 children aged between zero and 14 years.
Women account for 66.3 per cent of adults living with HIV, compared to 33.7 per cent among men, highlighting the disproportionate burden of the epidemic on women.
HIV prevalence among adults aged 15 years and above stands at 5.9 per cent, while prevalence among people aged 15 to 49 is 5.5 per cent. Women in this age category have a prevalence of 7.2 per cent, compared to 3.5 per cent among men.
Among young people aged 15 to 24, HIV prevalence stands at 1.5 per cent, with boys recording 1.0 per cent compared to approximately 2.0 per cent among girls.
Geographically, South Western Uganda has the highest regional HIV prevalence at 8.0 per cent, followed by South Buganda at 7.3 per cent, North Buganda at 7.2 per cent and Mid North at 6.8 per cent.
Karamoja and West Nile have the lowest prevalence rates at 1.3 per cent and 1.4 per cent respectively.
The report further identifies Fort Portal City as having an HIV prevalence of 16.7 per cent, followed by Kalangala at 12.1 per cent and Kabarole at 10.7 per cent, according to programme data.
Key and priority populations account for between 55 and 70 per cent of new infections, representing approximately 20,300 to 25,900 cases.
Female sex workers have an HIV prevalence of 31 per cent, while fisherfolk record between 22 and 29 per cent. The prevalence among truckers stands at 25 per cent, people who inject drugs at 16 per cent and men who have sex with men at 13 per cent.
The estimates indicate that Uganda’s HIV epidemic remains feminised, youthful, urban and concentrated among key and priority population networks.
The report also points to deteriorating behavioural and structural indicators, including an increase in multiple sexual partnerships, inadequate condom use during high-risk sexual encounters and rising sexual and gender-based violence, which potentially increase vulnerability to HIV infection.
Despite the continued infections, Uganda has registered considerable progress in reducing mother-to-child transmission, with new infections among children dropping by 78 per cent since 2010 to approximately 4,400 in 2025.
The mother-to-child transmission rate stands at 2.18 per cent at six weeks and 5.9 per cent after breastfeeding.
However, new maternal infections during pregnancy and breastfeeding account for 37 per cent of vertical transmissions, while interruptions in antiretroviral therapy among mothers during pregnancy and breastfeeding contribute 46 per cent.
AIDS-related deaths have also declined by 66 per cent since 2010 to approximately 19,000 in 2025, with adults accounting for 85 per cent and children 15 per cent.
On treatment, Uganda has made considerable progress towards the global 95-95-95 targets, which seek to ensure that 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed receive treatment and 95 per cent of those on treatment achieve viral suppression.
The estimates show that 85.3 per cent of adults living with HIV know their status, 99.1 per cent of those diagnosed are receiving antiretroviral therapy, while 96.5 per cent of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression.
A breakdown by sex shows that 79.9 per cent of men living with HIV know their status, compared to 86.6 per cent of women.
Of those diagnosed, 99.6 per cent of men and 98.9 per cent of women are receiving treatment, while viral suppression stands at 99.1 per cent among men and 95.4 per cent among women on treatment.
Children remain particularly vulnerable, with only 71 per cent of those living with HIV having been diagnosed. Of those diagnosed, 93 per cent are receiving treatment, while 88 per cent have achieved viral suppression.
The Commission said HIV diagnosis and treatment services had remained resilient despite significant external financing shocks, with people continuing to access available services.
However, the estimates identify stagnation in the identification of people living with HIV, even as treatment and viral suppression performance has surpassed the corresponding targets among those diagnosed and receiving care.
The report warns that unless Uganda significantly increases efforts to prevent new infections, the country risks missing its 2030 targets of reducing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths by 90 per cent.
It calls for urgent action to reduce mother-to-child transmission, retain pregnant and breastfeeding mothers on antiretroviral treatment, improve prevention among young women and address service delivery gaps affecting children, particularly in achieving viral suppression.
The financing of the national HIV response also remains a major consideration, especially as Uganda works to sustain essential services amid changes in external donor support.
The Uganda AIDS Commission has developed an HIV Sustainability Roadmap to guide the transition from a donor-led response towards greater domestic financing, while strengthening government stewardship and coordination of HIV programmes.
The country’s response is anchored in the Presidential Fast-Track Initiative launched by President Yoweri Museveni in 2017 to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
The initiative focuses on engaging men in HIV prevention, accelerating HIV testing and treatment, eliminating mother-to-child transmission, ensuring sustainable financing and strengthening institutional coordination of the multisectoral response.
The latest estimates were compiled by an HIV Estimates Technical Working Group comprising technical officers from the Ministry of Health, Uganda AIDS Commission, Uganda Bureau of Statistics, World Health Organisation, UNAIDS, United States Government Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and implementing partners.
The team used Spectrum and Naomi mathematical models, drawing on validated national health and demographic data, with international peer review by UNAIDS and Avenir Health. HIV prevalence and the 95-95-95 treatment cascade figures directly reference the recently released Uganda Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment (UPHIA) findings.
The statistics were released ahead of the 2026 National HIV and AIDS Symposium, which Uganda AIDS Commission will organise in partnership with Mbarara University of Science and Technology from November 16 to 18, 2026.
The symposium will be held at MUST’s Pharmacology Grounds under the theme, “Sustainable Interventions to End AIDS as a Public Health Threat by 2030.”
It will bring together researchers, policymakers, development partners, civil society organisations, people living with HIV and programme implementers to review the country’s progress, examine persistent gaps and identify interventions needed to accelerate the national HIV response.
The programme will feature the Annual Joint AIDS Review, a scientific meeting, an HIV financing dialogue, a Partnership Forum and the commemoration of Philly Lutaaya Memorial Day.
The Annual Joint AIDS Review will assess the country’s implementation of the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan, covering prevention, care and treatment and social support, while the scientific meeting will provide a platform for researchers to share evidence to improve HIV programming.
The financing dialogue will examine sustainable funding mechanisms to reduce dependence on external support, while the Philly Lutaaya Memorial Day will honour the late musician and other heroes who championed openness and disclosure about HIV status despite widespread stigma and discrimination.
The symposium will also provide a platform for discussions on HIV cure research, including scientific developments, ethical considerations and the importance of involving communities in future interventions.
Uganda AIDS Commission says strengthening prevention, improving access to testing, retaining people on treatment and securing sustainable domestic financing will be essential if the country is to achieve its ambition of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
