AIDS commission calls for increased domestic funding

Donor funding is dwindling at a critical time, with new infections among young people on the rise.

KAMPALA | The Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) has sounded the alarm over declining donor funding towards the fight against HIV/AIDS, citing global crises and competing priorities as contributing factors.

This setback comes at a critical time, with new infections among young people on the rise.

"Previously, donor funding accounted for over 80 percent of our resources, but due to competing global priorities, this has decreased," revealed Sarah Khanakwa, director of human resource mobilisation at UAC.

In response to dwindling external support, the government, through the Ministry of Finance, has stepped up efforts, allocating over 50 million shillings annually towards the HIV budget, representing a significant increase from the 13 percent of locally mobilized funds.

Henry Magala, Country Director at AIDS HealthCare Foundation, Uganda Cares, expressed concern over the escalating rate of new infections among young people, particularly those aged between 15-24, who are acquiring HIV at an alarming rate of 40 percent .

"We need to prioritize prevention strategies over treatment to address this worrying trend," said Magala.

Sarah Khanakwa reiterated Uganda's commitment to boosting domestic funding for the HIV fight, setting a goal to achieve a 90 percent increase by 2030.

"As a nation, we must work towards enhancing our own resources to combat HIV/AIDS effectively," Khanakwa said.

Flavia Kyomukama, executive director of AGHA Health, echoed the urgent need for increased domestic investment in HIV prevention and treatment efforts to curb the spread of the virus and mitigate its impact on the population.

With donor funding on the decline, the burden falls on the private sector and the government to ramp up domestic funding to support preventative measures and ensure progress towards ending the HIV/AIDS in Uganda.