URGENT ACTION NEEDED TO COMBAT RISING HIV INFECTIONS AMONG YOUTH IN NORTHERN UGANDA

By Ambrose Okai

Lira City

Northern Uganda is facing an alarming increase in HIV infections among young people, prompting urgent calls for action and commitment from health officials and community leaders.

This pressing issue was brought to light during a recent regional meeting on youth accountability held at the Mayor's Garden in Lira City.

During the meeting, Lira City Deputy Town Clerk, Lilian Ochare, emphasized the critical role of parents in providing sexual education to their children to help curb the spread of HIV.

‘’Our children are getting into trouble because sometimes they are exploring God's creation about themselves and they explore themselves wrongly. When are we going to begin to tell them that this is your reproductive organ and this is the function and that you must begin using it at the other age not now? Let us prepare their minds to understand their growth and development both psychologically, emotionally, socially and physically,’’Ochare said.

Deputy Mayor Rebecca Alwedo Ogole, blamed domestic violence as a contributing factor to the rise in infections among young people since it leaves children vulnerable and neglected.

‘’Families that have domestic violence, it is hard for them to give adequate parental guidance to the children within that family. Therefore children resort to either going directly to early marriage or are going to begin living life that is not very well dignified for a young person and at the end of it all will turn out to be HIV positive,’’ Alwedo said.

Shakila Among, Deputy Speaker of Lira City and representative of the National Youth Council of Uganda, urged the youth to live responsibly and take proactive steps to protect their health.

‘’We also believe, as the National Youth Council, that when it comes to accountability, it is not only focused on institutions. But I want to tell the young people here today that, as young people, we are accountable for our own health and your future. Because issues of HIV/ Aids, it is something that we cannot walk away from,’’ Among remarked.

Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Acheng-Ochero, in a message delivered by Dr. Andrew Odur, the Acting Director of Lira Regional Referral Hospital, reported that 26 percent of deaths among young women are due to HIV and AIDS-related complications.

She pointed out that young people under 18, particularly young women, represent a significant portion of new infections and are not adhering to their treatment.

‘’Our health information shows that among all the people, women who die in the entire country, 26% are the young people, and a very high HIV incidence rate, especially among the innocent girls and young women, and low retention on art and viral suppression. The Ministry of Health intends to promote regional and district stakeholder discussion to enable stakeholders to understand the issues affecting young people and come up with local solutions to develop their context,’’Acheng said.