Few Ugandans know their HIV/Aids status

The stigma associated with HIV/Aids has forced a number of women and men to shun free voluntary counselling and testing.

According to the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on HIV/Aids Dr Elioda Tumwesigye, only 11 percent of men and 13 percent of women in Uganda know their HIV status despite the fact that Aids has existed in the country for over 25 years.

Uganda's population stands at about 30 million people out of which about 14 million are males and 16 million are females.

Health experts however say that if all people especially those who are of reproductive age test for HIV before engaging themselves in a relationship, or getting married, the rate of new infections and the number of children born with Aids would probably reduce.

"It is vital for people to test for HIV so that those found positive and wish to have children can take precautionary measures to avoid passing on the virus to their babies and sexual partners," Dr Tumwesigye advises.

Read More