By Spy Uganda
Kampala: The Uganda AIDS Commission has announced that the country will begin receiving its first doses of a bi-monthly injectable HIV treatment in February 2025, following approval from the National Drug Authority (NDA).
This new treatment, LA-cabotegravir, boasts a 99% efficacy rate and will be made available to eligible patients, marking a key advancement in Uganda’s HIV treatment approach. However, another injectable treatment, Lenacapavir, which offers 100% efficacy and is administered every six months, is still awaiting NDA approval.
These updates were revealed during the Commission’s presentation to Parliament’s Committee on HIV/AIDS and Other Related Matters, which included an overview of the National HIV Response.
Dr. Vincent Bagambe, the Commission’s Director of Planning and Strategic Information, highlighted the ongoing efforts to combat HIV, including the implementation of the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring. This ring, which offers 50% efficacy, has been in use since July 2022 and has reached 275 high-risk women across six districts.
Despite progress, Uganda continues to face significant challenges in the fight against HIV. Between October 2023 and June 2024, there were 49,111 new HIV-positive diagnoses, with 5,928 confirmed as recent infections. The prevalence of new infections remains higher among females, with 4,070 recent cases compared to 1,858 among males.
The Commission reported that Uganda currently has 1,492,000 people living with HIV, with the majority being women (910,000) compared to men (510,000). Additionally, 72,000 children are living with HIV.
In 2023, Uganda recorded 19,000 AIDS-related deaths, with more men (8,700) succumbing to the disease than women (8,200). The country also lost 3,200 children to AIDS-related illnesses.
Dr. Bagambe attributed the stagnation in reducing new HIV infections, particularly among young people, to factors such as multiple sexual partnerships, transactional sex, low condom use, low male circumcision rates, alcohol and drug abuse, and inequality in access to healthcare. He emphasized the need for increased investment in prevention interventions, noting that 80% of the current HIV budget is donor-funded, and these funds have been dwindling since 2022.
“Out of the UGX1.8 trillion we used for HIV services, UGX1 trillion went towards treatment. The commitment to prevention interventions is very low. We need to focus and commit resources to HIV prevention, communication, and innovative approaches that engage young people,” Dr. Bagambe urged.
He also highlighted the challenge of treatment adherence, particularly among men and young people, who are not fully utilizing available technologies, leading to continued AIDS-related deaths. Dr. Bagambe called on the government to take over funding for the vaginal ring intervention, currently funded by donors, to improve its uptake.
