+44-1518-081136Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) as one of the most effective HIV prevention programmes in Uganda
WORLD CONFERENCE ON STDs, STIs & HIV/AIDS
July 26-27, 2017 | Vancouver, Canada
Bwanika Charles
Giving Children Hope Initiative, Uganda
Posters & Accepted Abstracts : Virology research J
Abstract:
Uganda is one of the countries in the world most seriously affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic and thousands of people in the country have died of the disease. The overall antenatal prevalence rate by 2011 was estimated at 6.5 percent closely comparing with 6.1 percent in 2010 (Ministry of Health, 2012). Despite the registered declines which have been attributed to strong preventive measures including condom use, public awareness raising campaigns and behaviour change messages, these rates are still high by international standards with severe socio-economic and demographic impact at the national, community and household levels. Majority of HIV/AIDS cases (83%) occur among young adults 15-40 years old with just under half of those HIV cases occurring between the ages 10-24years. Methods: However Uganda is embracing 90-90-90 strategy An ambitious treatment target to help end the AIDs epidemic. By 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status. By 2020, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy. By 2020, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression this is highlighted by Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) reports since it was launched in 2011, the UNAIDS Global Plan has had a marked effect on bringing HIV services to children and women in Uganda. By the end of 2015, 93% of pregnant women were tested for HIV and knew their result. Whilst embracing SDG3 Good health and well being PEPFAR (US Presidential Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief) is the major contributor to the international funding of HIV and AIDS around the world, particularly to African countries including Uganda. Results and Discussion: Uganda as a country has taken up an aggressive treatment scale up effort and current data shows that Uganda achieved the programmatic tipping point in 2013 of having fewer new adult infections of 140,000 than the net increase in adult patients on treatment of 161,028 per year. The figure bellow shows the comparison of the estimated number of annual new infections, the number of adults on treatment and estimated death overtime from 2004 to 2014. The estimated AIDS death declined by 19,583 between 2012 and 2014. HIV incidence rate is projected to fall from 2014 Uganda HIV and AIDS Country Progress report Page11 approximately 0.76% in 2014 to 0.46% in 2020, and annual new infections from 139,086 in 2013 to just over 100,000 in 2020 according to the Uganda Investment case 2014. For successful mitigation of Uganda’s severe HIV epidemic, a series of comprehensive health, political and social strategies will need to be implemented. For people who inject drugs, both political and cultural conditions need to be redressed, starting with transforming punitive laws that criminalise the use of drugs. Continued movement away from criminalisation towards a humane and supportive approach to drug users will transform national strategies into the best public health outcomes. HIV prevalence is higher among women (8.3%) than among men (6.1%) emphasis should be directed at PMTCT Program, ABC Program through demonstrations, video shows and drama through thorough sensitizations about HIV/AIDS to tackle the problem of myths that is still existing with some communities.
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