HIV Prevalence Drops to 5.9%, Minister Babalanda calls for UGX 15 billion to strengthen HIV prevention and national coordination

What the report says

Uganda’s Minister for the Presidency, Milly Babalanda, has told Parliament that the country’s HIV response has made major gains, while warning that prevention efforts still need more support. According to Watchdog Uganda, she presented a report on the status of HIV and AIDS and on the Presidential Fast-Track Initiative, which was launched in 2017 to help end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

Babalanda said the Uganda AIDS Commission continues to provide national leadership, coordination, policy guidance and oversight for the multi-sectoral response. She also noted that the commission is a coordinating body rather than a direct service implementer. The report said national HIV prevalence has fallen to 5.9%, down from about 18% in the early 1990s. It also cited 1.55 million people living with HIV, with more than 1.4 million receiving treatment.

The article said new infections, AIDS-related deaths and mother-to-child transmission have all declined sharply over time. It added that Uganda is making progress toward the 95-95-95 targets, with most diagnosed people on treatment and many achieving viral suppression. At the same time, the minister said 34,000 new infections in 2025 remain too high, especially among young women, and pointed to stigma, gender-based violence and prevention funding gaps.

Babalanda asked Parliament and government to back stronger national coordination, wider prevention messaging and UGX 15 billion for the Uganda AIDS Commission. She said the goal remains ending AIDS by 2030 through sustained political commitment and broader public engagement.