If the people continue embracing the campaign of voluntary counseling and testing for the HIV AIDS, the prevalence rate in Kabarole district will reduce.
Kabarole district has the highest prevalence rate of 11.3perecent after Rakai district compared to the National rate of 7.3 percent. This prevalence still worries the stakeholders and district leaders who have now embarked on a campaign for Voluntary testing and counseling in the rural areas where health services are still a problem.
453 people including Harugongo market vendors on Friday 10th August 2015 tested for HIV AIDS at Harugongo Catholic Church, Harugongo Sub County, Kabarole district. They also received family planning and counselling services on the general services.
This was during a medical camp organized by Youth Encouragement Services YES with funding from Infectious Disease Institute (IDI) and partnered with Fort portal referral hospital and PLATFORM for the NEEDY (PLANE) that entertains the people with BAHEMUKA DRAMA on Domestic Violence and Elimination of Mother To Child Transmission of HIV AIDS.
Madam Jolly Tumuhimbise medical worker with Infectious Disease Institute (I.D.I) encouraged people to embrace the campaign of testing for HIV AIDS when the services are brought nearer to them. She told the people that this is intended to enable them understand their health status and if found positive start drugs early. Madam Jolly advised couples to be faithful in their marriage. Madam Jolly asked men to go for safe Male Circumcision and women access cervical cancer services at Fort Portal hospital at free cost.
Steven Ainganiza the Director PLATFORM for the NEEDY (PLANE) asked husbands to always support their wives during antenatal care services and ensure they deliver in health facilities so as to produce babies free from HIV.
Ainganiza highlighted on the importance of HIV testing and encouraged those found positive to adhere to taking the ARVs so as to leave longer.
He asked the youth to guard against early sex and if tempted they should not forget to use a condom because the world still wants them.
To the married couples, Ainganiza asked them to remain faithful to one another, avoid acts of drunkenness and domestic violence if they are to have peaceful families that are development focused.
All the people were excited to receive the services and requested for more saying such services are hard to get since their roads are bad and lack health facilities. Harugongo is one of the hard to reach sub counties in Kabarole with bad roads and health facilities.