The 12th edition of the Kabaka birthday run, an annual event has been launched today, Wednesday in Kampala.
The event, launched at the Buganda Kingdom headquarters in Mengo attracted officials from the kingdom and Airtel Uganda, the main sponsors.
This year’s run scheduled for April, 6 will be celebrating Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II's 70th birthday.
Speaking during the function, Buganda Katikkiro, Charles Peter Mayiga said now that there is a freeze of funds by the US government, there is now an existential threat in the HIV/ AIDS fight.
“ It is high time to find ways to plug this gap.Now is time for pragmatism. We must save money ourselves at family and government level. Let us stay healthy. I ask young people to use condoms, they might increase in price after the fund freeze. If possible, abstain from sex. I ask government to find ways to prioritise the HIV/ AIDS fight. Government should put more funds in the health sector, with HIV/ AIDS fight as a priority,” Mayiga said.
He however allayed fears.
“Since we had already move some distance, let us not relent. We shall win the HIV/AIDS fight but we need to go on until this battle is won.”
The Buganda premier reminded men to take the lead in the fight against HIV/AIDS spread.
The Airtel Uganda Human Resource Director , Flavia Lwanga, who represented the Managing Director, Soumendra Sahu said despite the gains, the fight against HIV/AIDS is still far from over.
“The national HIV/ AIDS prevalence has gone down from 18% in the 1990s to now 5% while AIDS related deaths have also reduced.However, we still have now infections. The trend is now among women and adolescent girls. The fight against HIV/ AIDS starts with me and you. There is need for everyone to join this fight,” Lwanga said.
“ Carry this message to families, communities and everywhere. Let us stand together and be changemakers for a healthy and secure future for Ugandans.”
The UNAIDS Country Community Mobilisation and Networking Adviser, Sarah Nakku Kibuuka expressed concern over the recent fund freezes by the Donald Trump administration.
“I can’t confirm to you right now that this journey by 2030 we will have stopped HIV/AIDS. The Donald trump freeze is affecting us. The US was funding over 68% of our HIV fight which is a very big gap that can’t be bridged in just months,” Nakku noted.
She added, “The Ugandan government contributes funds but these mostly go towards buying drugs. Whereas we need $141 million per year to purchase HIV/ AIDS medicine, Uganda’s government only contributes $65 million.”
She said apart from drugs, things like condoms, HIV testing kits and voluntary male circumcision were being funded by the US ,adding that the freeze will affect the fight against HIV.
During the same function, the running kit for the 12th Kabaka birthday run was launched.
The running kit will go for shs20,000.