35% university students HIV positive – study – New Vision

By Jeff Andrew Lule       KAMPALA – As the government continues to battle the spread of HIV – the virus that causes AIDS – in Uganda, a new report indicates that a little over a third of students of Ugandan universities are HIV positive.

The study, carried out by Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU), a youth-led organization, in six selected universities, says that about 35% are infected with the virus.It was also found that of this group, third-year students were the majority.

Titled ‘HIV/AIDS Baseline Sero-Study in Ugandan Universities’, the research was done among 3, 718 randomly selected students.

The universities involved included; Makerere University, Uganda Christian University, Islamic University, Gulu University, Mbarara University of Science and Technology and Kampala University.

Humprey Nabimanya, the executive director of RAHU, addressed a press conference at the office in Kansanga.

He told reporters that many students use condoms inconsistently.

“After being in a relationship for about two years, they begin to trust each other and start having unprotected sex without even testing for their HIV status,” he said.

From their study, they found that many students especially females have multiple sexual partners which exposes them and their university partners to HIV.

The research was done between April and September 2014 funded by the East African Community (EAC) and African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) as part of the multi-regional process that included surveys in various universities on HIV/Aids.

Worryingly still, Nabimanya noted, many students still lack knowledge on HIV prevention.

His organization is now calling for holistic and innovative involvement in raising awareness and knowledge of HIV from stakeholders to support government efforts.

Socialites join campaign

Meantime, RAHU has kicked off a campaign going by the theme ‘If it is not on, it is not safe’ involving socialites to spread the HIV gospel.

It is targeting local universities, secondary schools, the working class and out-of-school youth.

The countrywide drive is supported by ‘It Takes Two Campaign‘ – a project by Women Deliver –, MTV Staying Alive Foundation, Segal Family Foundation, Rutgers WPF and Love Matters.

It will involve dialogues and seminars with health experts, free counseling and testing hubs, poetry, drama, and performances from various artists to convey the message.

Ronnie Tusingwire, the coordinator of the program, said many youth remain exposed to the scourge due to lack of relevant information.

For that reason, they want to engage sports personalities, artists, musicians and drama actors to easily reach out to the young people.

‘It Takes Two Campaign‘ project manager Nargis Shirazi said they also want to empower young female adults on the use of female condoms.

“Females at times have a disadvantage to negotiate safe sex. We think if we empower them, they will not only rely on their male partners for safer sex but they will also be able to ensure they are protected,” she said.

20,000 youth to be trained as peer educators

Meanwhile, RAHU and International Health Science University have established a Peer Educators Academy (PEA) project to train young people in life skills, self-awareness and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), as well as to help the youth integrate these skills as key elements in their lives.

This project is being supported by the MTV Staying Alive Foundation and the Segal Family Foundation.

The initiative kicks off is targeting 20,000 youth in one year, who will graduate as peer educators to work in different parts of the country.

Nabimanya said: “Young will be trained and equipped to reach out to other peers to make informed choices and, ultimately, change their attitudes and behaviors.”

He said youth-led projects provide a platform for young people to acquire critical life skills including self-confidence, planning, decision-making, social exposure, among others.

“We want peers themselves to bring about change as the future leaders and key drivers of the nation.”