Baryomunsi Urges Ugandans to Tackle HIV Stigma, Embrace Faithfulness

What the report says

Uganda’s Health Minister, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, has called on the public to confront HIV-related stigma, test regularly and remain faithful in relationships as the country reviews preliminary findings from the Uganda Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment (UPHIA). Nile Post reports that he made the remarks at the release of the early results, saying HIV continues to affect both young people and adults rather than only one age group.

According to the article, Baryomunsi said the data points to ongoing HIV transmission linked to unsafe and unprotected sex across different ages. He urged married couples and people in long-term partnerships to protect one another by staying faithful, echoing Uganda’s long-running prevention message often referred to as “zero grazing.” He also warned against using the findings to stigmatise any age group, region or people living with HIV.

The minister said the preliminary assessment shows progress in treatment coverage and viral suppression, which he linked to the test-and-treat approach, improved antiretroviral medicines and changes in service delivery. He added that encouraging people to know their HIV status remains important for prevention and care.

Nile Post said the preliminary UPHIA findings put HIV prevalence at 5.9% among people aged 15 and above. The minister also noted regional differences in prevalence, including higher levels in parts of southwestern Uganda and urban areas, while saying the causes need further study. The full report is expected to provide a deeper breakdown by age, sex and location.