Kasese on the weekend joined the rest of the country in celebrating the World HIV/AIDS day with
the district occasion held at Katunguru landing site in Lake Katwe sub-county.
The Resident
District Commissioner Milton Odongo was the chief Guest at the function under
the theme; Re-engaging political leaders for effective HIV prevention.
The RDC
emphasized the need for more men to go for medical safe male circumcision which
has scientifically been approved as one of the mitigation measures of the
highly prevailing scourge.
Odongo said
that government has put all the necessary interventions to make sure the
HIV/AIDS scourge is controlled adding that it is now a personal responsibility
of every Ugandan to take care of their lives.
He added
that medical safe male circumcision has been offered free of charge in
government hospitals.
He urged the
all stakeholders to put more emphasis in saving the lives of people living at
the landing sites adding that most people there are reckless about sexual
matters.
A case study
in October this year by Uganda Fisheries and Fish Conservation
Association-UFFCA indicates that the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate at Katunguru
landing site stands at twenty two point four percent far high than the national
and district rates at seven point four and six point three respectively.
John Businge
who represented the district chairman at the function said it was important for
leaders at all levels to be exemplary by leading their communities in the voluntary
testing and counseling.
He said that
HIV/AIDS should be a key point of emphasis in any speech being delivered by a
leader at every forum one is asked to speaker so that more people are able to
know their HIV status.
The District
health officer Dr. Yusuf Baseke accused men of failing the fight against the
scourge by refusing to test with their wives when attending antenatal care.
The function
was supported by several non governmental organizations that included NACWOLA,
UFFCA, Save the children, Strides for family health, Hima Cement and Bishop
Masereka medical center that carried out free testing and male circumcision
services. END
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