Uganda AIDS Commission Launches $2 Billion, Five-Year HIV/AIDS Plan

The Uganda AIDS Commission on Tuesday launched a five-year strategic plan aimed at decreasing Uganda's annual HIV incidence by 40%, the New Vision/AllAfrica.com reports. The plan is worth an estimated $2 billion and also aims to increase access to HIV/AIDS services in the country. David Kihumuro, director-general of the commission, said that under the plan, the number of annual new HIV cases is expected to decrease from 163,000 to 100,000 by 2012 through the ABC method -- which stands for Abstinence, Be faithful and use Condoms -- and a focus on cost-effective prevention programs. "We also intend to develop and implement strategies for HIV prevention targeting key population groups at higher risk and the general population, and also ensuring that all youth access life skills for HIV prevention," Kihumuro said, adding that Uganda's HIV epidemic is "mature but also continuously evolving and different groups are now more vulnerable than in the past."

The plan also aims to increase the number of people with access to antiretroviral treatment to 240,000 from 91,500 over the next four years, Kihumuro said. He added that he is concerned that challenges in designing, implementing and supporting a response to HIV/AIDS in Uganda could lead to an increase in the number of people living with the disease from 1.1 million in 2006 to 1.3 million in 2012 (Karugaba, New Vision/AllAfrica.com, 10/15).

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