Press statement on the Occasion of Marking World AIDS Vaccine Day, the 30th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial Day and International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT)
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Media and CSO advisory issued by
• Crested Crane Lighters
• East African LGBTI Visual Artists
• Midcentral Network for Sexual Health and Rights,Mityana
• Global Coalition of Women Against Aids in Uganda
• Uganda Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law
• Women’s Organization Network for Human Rights Advocacy
• Forum for Minority Rights
• Sexual Health And Reproductive Rights For Youth
• i freedom Uganda
• Freedom and Roam Uganda
• Transgender Equality Uganda
• Kaana Foundation,Kasese
• Positive Men’s Union
• Support on Aids and Life through Telephone Help Line
• Ice breakers Uganda
• Support Initiative for People with Congenital Disorders
• Health GAP (Global Access Project)
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Kampala, May 15, 2013: On the occasion of three International Days aiming at ending the AIDS epidemic by getting to zero new infection, zero deaths, zero discrimination, and towards an AIDS-free generation, we the above Civil Society Organizations in Uganda working with Most At Risk Populations, make this urgent call to the government of Uganda and the Uganda AIDS Commission in particular, to expedite the formulation of a national framework on HIV prevention and treatment service provision for Most At Risk Population groups, particularly sex workers, transgender persons and Men who Have sex with Men and Women who have sex with Women.
This framework should also require non discrimination and describing quality institutional responses to counseling, care, treatment and support needs for Most At Risk Population groups without discrimination among the MARPS.
MSM and transgender people are still not reflected in national HIV/AIDS programming and support as a key population
. Women who have sex with Women (WSW) in Uganda also have critical health needs, and the country must commit to comprehensively addressing the health priorities of this population, without stigma or discrimination.
These actions to address the urgent health needs of key populations are particularly important, given the fact that Uganda is one of a small minority of countries with generalized, mature HIV epidemics that are reporting rising HIV prevalence.
In Uganda, prevalence has risen from 6.4 to 7.3% between 2006 and 2012 and incidence is also estimated by Ministry of Health to have increased between 2005 and 2011. Importantly, Uganda is the only PEPFAR “Focus Country” reporting rising HIV incidence—all other PEPFAR focus countries have consistently reported declines in incidence as well as prevalence in recent years.
Importantly, Uganda’s prevention funding is not matched to drivers of the epidemic according to Uganda’s 2011 National Prevention Strategy. Effective, evidence-based HIV prevention targeting vulnerable populations such as serodiscordant couples, fishing communities, sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people, migrant populations and prisoners are not receiving proportionate funding for proven interventions.
In one study, rates of HIV infection among men who have sex with men in Kampala were almost twice as high as the national average of 7.3% and that study respondents who reported ever having been exposed to homophobic abuse were five times as likely to be HIV positive compared with peers who had never experienced homophobic abuse.(See: “HIV Infection among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Kampala, Uganda–A Respondent Driven Sampling Survey,” PLoS ONE 7(5): e38143. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0038143, 2012.)
Unlike other African countries that have aggressively sought to reach vulnerable populations with services and support and that are reporting declining rates of new infections, Uganda’s HIV incidence is rising, triggering concern and criticism.
Vulnerable and isolated communities including men who have sex with men typically experience higher HIV Infection rates as stigma and bigotry deter them from accessing essential medicines, prevention services, counseling, and public health information. This endangers not only them and their communities but also the Ugandan population at large.
The Global Commission on HIV and the Law recently presented incontrovertible evidence that discriminatory legislation that criminalizes homosexuality enhances HIV-related risks among men who have sex with men and other vulnerable groups most at risk of the epidemic and related infections.
“The framework we are calling for should also help institutions and bilateral donors to the AIDS response make sound interventions in all MARPS without being labeled ‘homosexuality promoters,’ while ensuring a minimum essential package of quality services delivered without discriminations and according to evidence and best practice, ” Said Kikonyogo Kivumbi, the Executive Director of sexual and gender minority lobby group, UhspaUganda.
“We are in a dilemma. When we try to sensitise our own in MSM, WSW and sexworkers community, the government says we are promoting. Officials actually intimidate and close such spaces where we offer prevention, VCT and positive living information.
How then as a country can we move to zero new infections and deaths when a certain population is left as a reservoir of the virus because of who they are or how they live their lives,” Mr. Vicent Kyabayinze, the Executive Director of East African LGBTI visual Artists said.
While we understand and appreciate the ongoing debate on same sex relationships within the Ugandan context, we appeal to Uganda Aids Commission to remain in Charge and advise HIV policy making accordingly, because health can not wait.
We also specifically ask the Ugandan government to:
* * Incorporate MSM, WSW, transgender people and other key populations in its National Implementation Guidelines for HIV Counseling and Testing in Uganda (2012) to enable civil society serving the most vulnerable groups offer support needed to scale up positive health seeking behavior, treatment and social support
• Urgently scale up national investments in treatment and evidence based prevention, taking advantage of new WHO treatment guidelines that will recommend treatment for all people at CD4
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