Uganda

Key Results

A pilot for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) targeting men who have sex with me was implemented.
All people diagnosed with HIV in 2022 were enrolled on Dolutegravir-based ART.
National drug prevention and harm reduction strategy operationalized, integrating Opioid Agonist Therapy for first time.

Joint Programme Results

In Uganda, the Joint Team reinforced the Government’s efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of women and girls. For instance, Uganda passed the Succession Amendment Bill 2022 addressing domestic violence after the death of a spouse predominantly affecting surviving spouses, especially women living with HIV. In addition, the country also developed and launched a joint programme through the Education Plus initiative to address school dropouts, early marriages, gender-based violence, and gender inequality across the country. (UNICEF, UNFPA, UN Women, UNESCO, UNAIDS Secretariat).

The Joint Team provided technical and financial support to the Uganda AIDS Commission to finalize the “Modes of Transmission” Study and the Integrated Biological and Behavioural Study, providing evidence on the most vulnerable populations (UNAIDS Secretariat).

Uganda rolled out the costed National Strategy for Integration of Sexual Reproductive Health, Gender-Based Violence response, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Nutrition Services 2022–2025 to improve access to services among vulnerable and key populations (WHO). The Consolidated HIV Prevention and Treatment Guidelines were also updated and aligned with the latest WHO recommendations, helping to increase access and uptake of these services (WHO). Additionally, 17 680 (5550 refugees) accessed antiretroviral treatment with viral load suppression of 91.5% and 67% treatment retention at one year (UNHCR).

The Joint Team reinforced advocacy efforts to prevent the passing of an anti-homosexuality bill in 2023, specifically providing support to key populations-led organizations to engage with parliament and coordinating their joint activities against passing of the bill in parliament. Various parliamentary committees were also engaged, raising awareness on the adverse impact of such a law on HIV, health services and human rights (UNAIDS Secretariat, OHCHR).

Implementation of the Last Mile programme in HIV hotspots helped to dispense more than 148 million male condoms and 265 860 female condoms between June and December 2022, exceeding the national annual targets. In addition, 672 040 condoms were procured and distributed to address the condom shortage that followed a two-year stockout; and 154 people were trained to serve as female condom trainers to increase demand among vulnerable and key populations in six regions (UNFPA).

Uganda became one of the first 12 countries to join the Global Alliance to end AIDS in Children by 2030; an implementation roadmap as well as monitoring and evaluation plan were developed for rollout in 2023 (UNICEF, UNAIDS Secretariat). The National Paediatric and Adolescent HIV Advocacy Strategy and Road Map 2022-2026 was rolled out to improve access to services and health outcomes among pregnant and breastfeeding women and mother-child pairs (UNICEF).

Communities, including people living with or affected by HIV were better equipped to implement community-led monitoring of HIV and tuberculosis services in 80 districts, thanks to the training and technical support from the Joint Team and US$ 1.2 million funding from PEPFAR (UNAIDS Secretariat).

Uganda developed a transition HIV and AIDS sustainability plan that is aligned to the new programme-based government funding guidelines. A business case for private sector financing for the HIV response was also developed and 30 enterprises enhanced their capacity and finalized concrete strategies to mobilize resources for HIV programmes (UNAIDS Secretariat).