OPINION: Social media and brokenness pushing HIV numbers through the roof

What the report says

Sqoop Uganda published an opinion column by Ronald Tumwesigye arguing that Uganda’s fight against HIV needs renewed public attention, especially among young people. The piece says the country once reduced HIV prevalence from above 18% in the early 1990s to about 6% through strong messaging, political commitment and community action, but that discussion has since weakened as social media and digital lifestyles have become more influential.

The article cites recent reporting on findings presented by Kampala Capital City Authority, which indicated that about 211 people in Kampala were acquiring HIV each week, or roughly 30 a day, based on testing at KCCA health facilities. It says those infections were linked to factors including unregulated sexual activity, domestic violence, structural inequality and exposure to social media. The author argues that online platforms do not create these behaviours, but can make them easier to sustain and normalize.

The column also points to broader background on young people’s risk, saying women and men aged 15–24 continue to shoulder a heavy burden, even though Uganda has made progress since 2010. It cites UNAIDS estimates of about 15,000 new infections among people aged 15–24 in 2023, down from 34,000 in 2010.

The author calls for more open discussion of HIV prevention, including testing, condoms, PrEP and early treatment, and suggests that musicians, influencers and other public figures could help make prevention messaging more visible again.