- The U.S. government pledges full support in Uganda’s ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS, addressing misinformation about program withdrawal, as the 23rd edition of the State of Uganda Population Report highlights progress but signals continued challenges.
The U.S. government has expressed its readiness to fully support Uganda in the fight against HIV/AIDS, as stated in the 23rd edition of the State of Uganda Population Report (SUPRE) 2023 by the National Population Council. The report highlights Uganda’s progress in combating the disease, but with a high prevalence—1.4 million people living with HIV, 54,000 new infections, and 17,000 AIDS-related deaths.
During the 20th-anniversary celebration of the Uganda Network of Young People Living with HIV/AIDS (UNYPA), Vamsi Vasreddy, the Deputy Director of the US Mission, assured positive Ugandans of the USA government’s commitment to improving their quality of life. He dismissed rumors of U.S. withdrawal from HIV/AIDS support programs as false and urged people to ignore such misinformation.
Vamsi emphasized the ongoing threat of HIV/AIDS and urged vigilance, contradicting claims of the U.S. pulling back from support. The SUPRE 2023 report, released in Kampala under the theme “Mindset Change for a Favorable Population Age Structure: A Prerequisite for Wealth Creation,” projected Uganda’s 2023 population at 46.2 million, with 51% females and 49% males. The age distribution is approximately 44% aged 0-14, 53% aged 15-64, and only 3% aged 65 and above.
At the report’s launch, Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet, through Pakwach District Woman Legislator Avur Jane Pacuto, urged the Ugandan government to strategically invest in health, education, job creation, and good governance to effectively manage the growing population.
