By Aggrey Twesigye
Concern is growing in Kiruhura District following reports that the HIV prevalence rate has risen to 11 percent, the highest in the Ankole sub-region.
Speaking to our reporter, Kiruhura District Chairperson Dan Mukago Rutetebya said district leaders recently met with clergy from North Ankole Diocese to assess the causes of the increasing HIV infections.
Mukago attributed the rise to changing lifestyles, noting that some people living with HIV have abandoned antiretroviral therapy (ARVs), while others have stopped using condoms, increasing the risk of transmission.
He also cited practices such as wife sharing among some families, which he said expose more people to HIV infection.
To address the challenge, the district leadership has partnered with church leaders to intensify community sensitization campaigns aimed at promoting HIV prevention and discouraging risky behaviour.
According to the Uganda AIDS Commission, Kiruhura’s HIV prevalence rate stands at 11 percent, followed by Mbarara City at 10 percent and Bushenyi District at 8 percent.
