HIV/AIDS
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that infects cells of the immune system, destroying or impairing their function. As the infection progresses, the immune system becomes weaker, and the person becomes more susceptible to infections. The most advanced stage of HIV infection is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It can take 10-15 years for an HIV-infected person to develop AIDS; antiretroviral drugs can slow down the process even further.
HIV is transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse (anal or vaginal), transfusion of contaminated blood, sharing of contaminated needles, and between a mother and her infant during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.
The Uganda AIDS Indicator Survey was done in 2011.The Ministry of Health has announced that the HIV incidence in the country has risen to 6.7%. At this figure, approximately two million people in Uganda are infected with HIV in total, in a country population of 36 million.
The ministry of health confirms approximately 7.7% of women and 5.6% of men are HIV positive.
Announcing the study results, the commissioner for health services and national disease control, Dr Alex Opio, had the following to say:
- The study had a lot of positive indicators.
- “The campaign against sexual networks is working because the study shows that more people are abandoning multiple partners.
- HIV incidence is also low among the circumcised people, which shows that the circumcision campaign is working,” he said.
According to the findings, HIV is higher among women, the wealthier populations, the uneducated, urban women and the widowed.
At the last Sero-Behavioral Survey of 2004/05 Sex contributed 76% of new HIV infections while mother to child transmission contributed 22%.