Uganda's HIV/AIDS Rates Stop Falling

For the first time in a decade, Uganda's HIV infection rate has not declined, according to the HIV surveillance report compiled by the Ministry of Health. The report says 6.5 percent of women sampled at 20 antenatal clinics countrywide during 2001 have HIV. This represents a slight increase from 6.1 percent in 2000, but health officials said the difference between the two years is not statistically significant, so they considered the rate stagnant. The results give the first indication that the gains made by a 16-year-long concerted war against HIV/AIDS may be diminishing. The report estimates there are 1,050,555 people are living with HIV in Uganda. The director general of the Uganda AIDS Commission, Dr. Kihumuro Apuuli, said, "The decreases in AIDS prevalence rates have hit a plateau and we have to double our efforts."

Back to other CDC news for October 25, 2002

Previous Updates