To imagine that there has ever been a good time to catch HIV/Aids is cynical. Indeed not everyone gets the disease out of reckless behaviour.

But the headline may be excused when one considers the latest events surrounding a disease that has caused so much agony to individuals, families and the entire Ugandan society.

Two relatively related events happened this week that are sobering news for whoever cares about their health or whose duty is to manage Uganda's healthcare sector.

Shrinking purse

Perhaps the most sobering news came this week from the United States government in way of a warning that Uganda's largest funder of HIV/Aids programmes may be suffering from some hunger over and frustration from what appears to be a worsening crisis.

Through its generous support, the US government has become by far the leading funder of HIV/Aids programmes in Uganda spending US$ 280 million annually since 2004. America's total funding to HIV/Aids Programmes over the last six years alone totals US$ 1.4 billion.

In a statement issued by the American Embassy in Kampalaon Wednesday September 8, Ambassador Jerry Lanier pointed out that the US government's position as the champion of the HIV/Aids fight is untenable.

"This high level of funding is particularly significant today in a time of tightening budgets and economic constraints. I am proud of the support that the American people are providing to Uganda to help fight this disease," the US. Ambassador Jerry Lanier, (pictured above with Health Minister Malinga,) said.

The statement noted: "Addressing the long-term HIV and AIDS problem in Uganda requires a renewed commitment from the people of Uganda, the Government of Uganda, the Global Fund and other donors.

The statement stressed: "The U.S. Government cannot -- and should not -- be the only source of funding for Uganda's HIV and AIDS prevention, care, and treatment efforts. The role of U.S. aid programs is never to lead another nation's response, but to work with it to identify opportunities where U.S. technical and financial support can make a needed contribution."

The warning came only weeks since President Barrack Obama of the United States expressed similar frustration at the rising demand for Aids treatment and care while he was speaking to young African leaders in Washington.

Obama said: "We're never going to have enough money to simply treat people who are constantly getting infected. We've got to have a mechanism to stop the transmission rate."
In his address, Obama stressed the need to empower women so that they are able to have control over sexual practices and their own body.

Support is not indefinite

Obama warned: "We're still going to be funding, at very high levels, antiviral drugs. But keep in mind, we will never have enough money -- it will be endless, an endless effort if the transmission rates stay high and we're just trying to treat people after they are sick.

Almost 70 percent of the total expenditure for Uganda's HIV/Aids programme comes from the US. It is anticipated that the money goes to buy life-prolonging Anti-Retroviral drugs (ARVs) as well as supporting other facilities such as infrastructure development and capacity building.

The Uganda Aids Commission warned recently that new cases of HIV/Aids infections have increased as the population appears to have dropped their guard.

Epidemiological surveys cite increased incidences of casual sex especially among married couples and a reduction in condom use.

However some argue that apart from weaknesses in promoting preventive measures, the increased availability of life-prolonging ARVs may have contributed to complacency among the population.

A number of people falsely believe HIV/AIDS is no longer the killer disease it was, largely because they see sufferers, many of whom benefit from the ARVs, living longer than those who caught the disease in 1980s and 90s.

But if not reversed, the current rate of new infections are likely to swell the burden of the disease, especially if resources from donors as well as from the government do not grow at the same pace.

Increased demand for ARVs could lead to an increase in price, assuming other factors such as inputs remain constant.

The revelation by the boss of the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) Dr. Pontiano Kaleebu this week that new types of HIV had been identified among people in fishing villages, is another indication of the fact that the HIV/Aids fight in Uganda is faltering.  

The new strains of the virus identified as A/D and D/A - otherwise known as 'recombinant' are thought to have been born out of two distinct types of HIV 'A' and 'D' which are common in Uganda getting together. This, scientists say comes about due to infected people engaging into sex with another infected person. blog comments powered by Disqus

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