Remarks at the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial

Honourable Minister for Presidency

Honourable Minister for Karamoja Affairs

Your Excellency United States Ambassador to Uganda

Chairperson of the Uganda AIDS Commission

The Director General of Uganda AIDS Commission                  

Persons Living with HIV/AIDS,

Religious and cultural leaders,

Media Fraternity,

Representatives from Civil Society,

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial is a time for all of us to remember  the progress we have made in the fight against HIV and AIDS. It is an opportunity to honour those heroes who dedicated their lives to helping people living with and affected by HIV.

It is a day we  continue to mobilise our communities in solidarity,  helping  those people living with and affected by HIV to deal with sitgma and discrimination plus supporting them to know the exisiting services mainly from the social and economic  aspect.

International AIDS Candlelight Memorial  was initiatied in 1983 and since then there have been thousands of events organized across the world to remember the heroes that succumbed to HIV .

Uganda joins the world to remember the people living with HIV  that fought to create awareness,  fought prejudice and  politics to create room for compassion for others. These heroes, consistentently belived in what they said and  put into practice their words. They genuienuly embrassed  social accountability and transformation for  HIV Prevention and this made  their communities in Uganda safe. It is through these  heroes that the first community workers representing people living with HIV were formed that later advocated for the estabilishement of Global insisituitons like UNAIDS.

We all heard  the statistics from the Minister of Presidency and surely Uganda is on track to End AIDS by 2030 if we keep the committment to access treatment, adhere and suppress the viral load but most importanly address  inequalities and mostly the  predisposing causes to HIV like structural, sociocultural, and economic drivers of the epidemic which include poverty, gender inequalities, and gaps in access to prevention, care, and treatment services. Outstanding factors include high levels of stigma and discrimination and violence, limited resources, unfavourable laws and poor governance systems. Evidence shows that community responses to health gender based violence and other health related hazards like COVID-19  can foster positive outcomes, resilience and are cost effective if there is inclusion and meaningful participation at all levels. However, currently communities  in Uganda are facing political and legal threats that have affected inclusion and participation.

More than ever before communities must come together to address these challenge as the present danger that affects all human beings. We need to take emphatic stands to fight discrimination and stigma among those living with HIV because they are not victims but messengers that will teach the world how the disease affects human beings.

The UN launched a UN Global AIDS strategy  that is people centred and anchored on the stong role of communities. As the world continues to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, we must support our families and communities to stay healthy. It is possible for to End AIDS even before 2030 but that will require stepped up action and greater solidarity for collective action. People Living with HIV have always led us on this and it we hope you continue to find strength unity to advance this global movement to End AIDS by 2030.  

Due to their advocay  efforts, today Uganda has registred a steady progress in the reduction of HIV  related deaths and infections. Despite the impressive progress, we know that pandemics find space to grow in the fractures of divided societies. The amazing scientists, doctors, nurses and communities who work very hard to end pandemics cannot succeed alone unless leaders take the steps that will enable them to do so.

I call upon you all, to take BOLD steps needed to tackle the inequalities driving HIV today, with this we will not only end the AIDS pandemic, we will also leave our world better prepared for future global challenges:

• The global challenges including the war in Ukraine, Climate changes and others which are a clear signal for Uganda to increase domestic financing to sustainably fund the HIV prevention and treatement interventions and effective coordination across the sectors
• Address the escalating rates of GBV and teenage pregnancy during COVID pandemic in Uganda. Prior to the pandemic, young women and adolescent girls comprised 33% of all new HIV infections in Uganda and the prevalence of HIV among women aged 20-24 was four times higher than men of the same age. The COVID-19 pandemic and containment measures exacerbated the pre-existing inequalities and drivers of the spread of HIV/AIDS within this vulnerable population. While the reopening of schools has contributed to reducing gender-based violence and teenage pregnancy, there is need to ensure that girls and young women in and out of school have adequate knowledge of HIV prevention measures; access to sexual and reproductive health services; as well as to address harmful cultural practices; and the unequal power dynamics between men and women

With these few words,

I wish all people living with HIV good deliberations on this international candlelight Memorial Day as we remember, we take action to live beyond HIV’ to End discrimination to End AIDS.

Thank you for listening                                               

‘God Bless you all ‘