Uganda continues to grapple with high rates of new HIV infections, with the Uganda Aids Commission (UAC) reporting 380,000 new cases annually, primarily affecting adolescent girls and young women aged 15 to 24. In response, UAC has called on Pentecostal, evangelical, and born-again religious leaders to integrate HIV prevention messages into their teachings to help achieve the 2030 goal of eradicating HIV/Aids as a public health challenge.
During a meeting in Kampala, Dr. Vincent Bagambe, UAC’s Director of Planning and Strategic Information, urged religious leaders to promote the "ABC" approach—abstinence, being faithful, and condom use—to address complacency and reduce risky sexual behaviors, particularly among young people. He highlighted a concerning drop in condom usage, from 300 million to 200.18 million annually, despite persistently high infection rates.
“Many Ugandans, including those in congregations, engage in risky sexual behaviors like multiple relationships and casual encounters without protection,” Dr. Bagambe noted. He emphasized that the approximately 14 to 15 million Ugandans attending these churches weekly present a valuable platform to deliver prevention messages.
Religious leaders were also encouraged to ensure accurate information reaches their followers and to discourage any practices undermining HIV treatment adherence. Dr. Bagambe revealed that some clerics had shared misleading messages, which discouraged patients from continuing life-saving medications. To address this, the UAC provided leaders with handbooks to guide their messaging.
The government spends over Shs1 trillion annually on HIV treatment and monitoring for 1.3 million patients. Strengthened partnerships with faith-based organizations could help reduce this burden by curbing new infections.
Mr. Peter Sozi, vice chairperson of the Council for the National Fellowship of Born Again Pentecostal Churches, pledged support for the initiative, stating that while they have traditionally emphasized abstinence and faithfulness, they are open to promoting condom use when necessary.
Dr. Daniel Byamukama, UAC’s Head of HIV Prevention, reiterated the need for tailored interventions, noting that abstinence and faithfulness alone are insufficient for groups like commercial sex workers, 33% of whom are HIV-positive. He also stressed the importance of supporting comprehensive sex education in schools to empower young people with accurate information, bridging critical knowledge gaps.
With an estimated 1.4 million Ugandans living with HIV / AIDS and 20,000 annual AIDS-related deaths, integrating prevention messages into faith-based activities is a vital step toward combating the epidemic. Condoms prevent sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, reduce unplanned pregnancies, and promote safer, responsible sexual relationships. When not faithful to one sexual partner, its important to condomize.
