Going by the latest UNAIDS data fact sheet, about 5000 young females aged 15–24 years get infected with HIV every week in sub-Saharan Africa, the statistics further reveal that these young women are twice as likely to be living with HIV compared to their male counterparts.
Similarly to the last three years, the Kabaka Birthday Run has been organized under a theme ‘Men against AIDS to save the girl child’ with an aim of encouraging men to take a lead in the fight of HIV/AIDS through getting tested, treated and protecting girls and women against infection.
While handing over kits to officials from Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), Uganda Airlines, and UMEME among other organizations, Buganda Kingdom Premier, Charles Peter Mayiga, said that the campaign against HIV requires behavioral change and sharing of key information noting that, “The biggest weapon we need in this fight is information based on research that will uphold the UNAIDS mission to eliminate the virus spread by 2030. To achieve this we must embark on sensitization drives like what we do through initiatives like the Kabaka Birthday Run,” he said.
“We can only achieve what we are inspired to because we are in good health and if we don’t prioritize issues of health then all our programs of developments will come to nothing,” he added.
Mayiga also challenged men to make the right decisions in order to protect and better lives of their female counterparts.
UCAA Spokesperson, Vianney Luggya said they hope to strengthen their relationship with Buganda Kingdom.
The Authority purchased a 130 kits worth UGX 2million.
The run is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 3rd July 2022, and will be flagged off by His Royal Majesty Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II.
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