Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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New Vision (Kampala) - December 15, 2005
Carol Natukunda
However, there has been a 'subtle' increase in HIV between 2002 and 2005 in nine antenatal clinics around the country, but six have gone down.
Dr. Alex Opio, the assistant commissioner in the Ministry of Health, said, "We do not have concrete evidence that HIV is going up.
"What we have seen is one upward bounce in HIV in some antenatal clinics. We need to get another data point in 2006 and then we may know.
"What we do know is that the HIV rate has been stable and we need to do more work.
"Possible reasons for the stable rate are complacency, and some boys are having sex earlier, and adults aged 15 to 59 are having more multiple partners.
"We have no information that condom use has gone down." Preliminary rates compiled in July 2005 had, however, indicated the prevalence rate at 7.1%.
Presenting the results at the annual AIDS review at Kabira Country Club in Kampala yesterday, Dr. Opio said the most up-to-date figures had indicated a prevalence rate of 6.5%.
The survey said HIVE prevalence rate by religion showed that Muslims were the least infected at 5%, while Protestants were the most infected at 7.1%.
Catholics and other religions were at a rate of 6.3%.
Going by ethnic groupings, the Batoro are the most infected tribe at 14.9%, followed by Langi and Baganda at 9.4% and 8.3%.
The least affected were the Karimojong at 1.7%. Banyankole/Bakiga were at 6.8% and 6.6% prevalence rate respectively.
Opio also said the prevalence rate of pregnant women was at 6.5%, while that of the non-pregnant women was at 7.7%.
"Women are more likely to be infected than men," Opio said. He, however, hailed circumcision, saying it would curb the rate of infection.
"When you are circumcised, you are in a way protected from infection.
"When the foreskin is removed, it helps on cleanliness.
"But if one is not circumcised, the genital secretion remains there for a long time, hence increasing chances of infection," Opio said.
The prevalence rate for the circumcised men was at 3.7%, and 5.5% for the others.
Straight Talk's Cathy Watson said there was need to pay more attention to the new trends. "This should be a constant reminder that we should not sit back," Watson said.
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