By: Hellen Namale

KAMPALA
The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) joined the global community in commemorating World AIDS Day on Monday.

The Under Secretary, Finance & Administration Ms. Patricia E. Lakidi presenting the PS’ remarks during the AIDS Day commemoration

During the event held at the OPM headquarters in Kampala, the Permanent Secretary, Alex Kakooza, in a statement delivered by the Undersecretary for Finance and Administration, Patricia Lakidi, urged staff to intensify their efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS. He reminded them of the global goal to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Kakooza encouraged the staff to contribute to the achievement of this goal through testing, prevention, treatment, supporting those affected, fighting stigma and discrimination.

“We are talking about ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done,” Kakooza said. “I encourage you to get tested for HIV. If you are negative, protect yourself from AIDS. If you are positive, get on treatment and adhere to the treatment guidelines,” he added.

The 2030 goal was set by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and adopted by UN Member States in 2015 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Achieving it requires a substantial reduction in new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths so that the disease no longer poses a major public health threat.

John Kalule, the Commissioner for Monitoring and Evaluation in the Office of the Prime Minister and the Representative of the Head of the HIV/AIDS Committee in OPM speaking to staff during World AIDS Day commemoration at the OPM in Kampala

According to the Uganda AIDS Commission, the country’s HIV prevalence stands at 4.9%, with an estimated 1.5 million Ugandans living with the virus.

John Kalule, the Commissioner for Monitoring and Evaluation in the OPM, cautioned the staff against complacency. “We should encourage those on treatment to continue taking the drugs and seek useful information,” he stated. “We can easily go back to the bad days if we are not careful,” he said.

As part of the commemoration, OPM conducted a health camp, giving staff an opportunity to get screened for various ailments. The event also included interactive sessions on mental health and workplace wellness.

 

Ms. Patricia Lakidi (right), the Undersecretary for Finance and Administration in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) speaking to the guest speaker, Grace Kabatangare, during World AIDS Day Commemoration at the OPM on Monday.

Some of the staff pose for a group photo after World AIDS Day commemoration at the Office of the Prime minister in Kampala on Monday