Time to Retrace Traditional Paths.

Byline: Frederick Womakuyu

In an exclusive interview with The New Vision, Musa Bungudu, the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Uganda country co-ordinator, talks to Frederick Womakuyu on Uganda's new HIV infections despite the campaigns to reduce or eradicate the epidemic. He suggests emphasising the behavioural change approach that helped Uganda to reduce HIV prevalence in the past.

After successfully bringing the HIV prevalence rate down from more than 20% in the 1980s to about 6% by the year 2000, Uganda's HIV/AIDS levels have stagnated, showing marginal increase in prevalence over the past few years. New infections are also soaring. What is the real picture?

The HIV response and coordination at the community level is much weaker than it was before.

Today, over 110,000 new infections are registered annually. While the Government and leadership of Uganda have worked hard, there seems to be complacency and relaxation, not only on …