KAMPALA —The Minister for the Presidency and Member of Parliament for Budiope West, Hon. Milly Babalanda, has today presented a comprehensive report on the status of HIV and AIDS in Uganda and the implementation of the Presidential Fast-Track Initiative (PFTI) on the Floor of Parliament.
The PFTI was launched by H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in 2017 with the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Presenting the report on behalf of the Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC), which falls under the Office of the President, Hon. Babalanda said Government, through UAC, continues to provide national leadership, coordination, policy guidance and oversight of the multi-sectoral HIV response.
She clarified that UAC operates under the Three Ones Principle: One Coordination Body, One National Strategic Framework, and One Monitoring and Evaluation System, emphasizing that UAC is a coordinating institution, not an implementer of HIV services.
According to the Minister, Uganda has registered remarkable progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS.National HIV prevalence has declined from approximately 18% in the early 1990s to 5.9% today. The 2025 Uganda Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (UPHIA) indicates prevalence stands at 7.3% among women and 4.1% among men.
The country currently has an estimated 1.55 million people living with HIV, with more than 1.4 million accessing treatment.
The report highlights significant reductions in new infections and AIDS-related deaths:- Annual AIDS-related deaths declined by 65%, from 56,000 in 2010 to 19,000 in 2025- New HIV infections declined by 65%, from 96,000 in 2010 to 34,000 in 2025- Mother-to-child HIV transmission declined by approximately 78%, from 20,000 infections in 2010 to about 4,400 in 2025Uganda is also making commendable progress towards the global 95-95-95 targets.
UPHIA 2025 shows that 85.3% of people aged 15 years and above living with HIV know their status, 99.1% of those diagnosed are on treatment, while 96.5% of people on treatment have achieved viral suppression.
“These achievements reflect sustained Government commitment under the leadership of H.E. President Museveni and the collective efforts of health workers, development partners, civil society, communities and other stakeholders,” Babalanda said.
Despite the progress, the Minister warned that significant challenges remain. The 34,000 new infections recorded in 2025 are still unacceptably high, with young people particularly vulnerable. Young women aged 15–24 account for approximately 30% of new infections.Other challenges include sexual and gender-based violence, HIV-related stigma and discrimination, inadequate prevention funding, and limited use of modern communication technologies and social media to reach young people with accurate prevention information.
Hon. Babalanda called for renewed commitment to HIV prevention through scaling up social and behavioural change interventions including abstinence and faithfulness, strengthening prevention services for adolescent girls, young women, pregnant and breastfeeding women and their partners, mainstreaming HIV interventions across all Government sectors, intensifying efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination, and engaging community structures in innovative prevention programmes and efforts to address gender-based violence and violence against children.
To sustain the gains and accelerate progress towards ending AIDS by 2030, the Minister appealed to Parliament and Government to:1. Mobilize Members of Parliament to disseminate HIV prevention and care messages across the country; 2. Provide UGX 15 billion to the Uganda AIDS Commission to strengthen national coordination and expand HIV prevention communication; 3. Strengthen parliamentary oversight to ensure HIV interventions are mainstreamed across all sectors; and 4. Support the commemoration of World AIDS Day on 1st December 2026, to be held virtually, with H.E. the President presiding from State House.
“As a country, we have made significant strides, but we cannot afford complacency. Ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 requires collective responsibility, sustained political commitment, adequate financing, stronger prevention programmes and a coordinated national response,” she said.
“Our focus must remain on achieving the three zeros: ZERO new HIV infections, ZERO stigma and discrimination, and ZERO AIDS-related deaths. Together, we can protect our young people, safeguard our communities and secure a healthier future for Uganda.”
The post HIV Prevalence Drops to 5.9%, Minister Babalanda calls for UGX 15 billion to strengthen HIV prevention and national coordination appeared first on Watchdog Uganda.