Position Paper on HIV Messaging for Older Persons in Uganda for the HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment Advocacy Group for Older Persons in Uganda-2015

Introduction and Background

This paper presents the position of the HIV Care, Prevention and Treatment Advocacy group for older persons. The HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment Advocacy Group comprises of THETA Uganda, National Coalition of Women Living with HIV&AIDS, The AIDS Support Organisation, Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development-Department of Elderly and Disability, Ministry of Health-AIDs Control Programme, Action for Disability and Development, AIDS Information Center and Uganda Network of AIDS Service Organisations. The group was formed in 2008 to spearhead advocacy campaign directed towards mitigating the impact of HIV&AIDS among older persons in Uganda.

Since inception, the group has registered significant impact including specific reference to older persons in the National HIV&AIDS Strategic Plan 2014/15 – 2019/20. The National HIV Prevention Strategy 2011-2015 called for simultaneous tackling of older persons’ behaviours and empowerment to make choices,a

 build negotiation skills, and issues of coercion and violence. The group notes that the government and non-state actors running HIV&AIDS programmes are now aware of the huge gaps on HIV programming and older persons. Older persons have been included onto MOH Peer Education Training Programmes.

 Facts about HIV&AIDS in Uganda

Uganda continues to experience an increasing number of new HIV infections every year, estimated at 124,000 in 2009 and 128,000 in 2010. The number of new infections outstrips annual enrolment into Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) by two-fold. If the status quo continues, the HIV burden is projected to increase by 700,000 new infections over the next five years. There are multiple reasons why, despite 25 years of implementing various HIV prevention interventions, new HIV infections remain high (National Prevention Strategy, 2011-2015). Most HIV interventions are still on an insufficient scale to make significant public health impact. Many are not aligned with sources of new infections. As a result of complacency, there is now a return to widespread risky sexual behaviour and low comprehensive knowledge of HIV prevention in the population as was at the very beginning of the epidemic. While scaling up HIV&AIDS care and treatment in recent years has been fairly successful saving lives and providing relief to people living with HIV as well as preventing some new infections, long-term sustainability of the HIV&AIDS message programs requires intensified and increased effectiveness of HIV prevention for older persons....For more information please follow this link......Position Paper on HIV Messaging for Older Persons in Uganda

Posted by Esther Namirimu/Communication Officer.