The Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) has made an urgent appeal to the government for an allocation of Shs300 billion to cater for critical HIV/AIDS drugs and laboratory supplies.
This call comes in the wake of aid cuts, which have severely impacted the country’s ability to fund its HIV/AIDS programs .
According to Vincent Bagamba, Director of Planning at the UAC, the aid cuts have put Uganda’s progress in combating HIV/AIDS at risk.
“We are at a critical juncture. Uganda has made significant strides in reducing new infections and AIDS-related deaths, but the sudden cut in funding puts these gains at risk,” Bagamba warned.
The UAC has emphasized that the requested allocation is crucial to ensuring uninterrupted access to treatment, laboratory monitoring, and other essential services for people living with HIV.
With approximately Shs 1.49 million people living with HIV in Uganda, the need for sustained funding is more pressing than ever.
In addition to the allocation, the UAC has also called for an increase in the HIV Mainstreaming allocation from the current 0.1% to 0.5% of the national budget.
This adjustment would generate an additional Shs200 billion to support vital prevention and treatment services.
