The First Lady of Uganda, Hon. Janet Kataha Museveni, hosted and launched the 11th and final Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV & AIDS (EMTCT) campaign which began with a stakeholder breakfast meeting at her private home in Rwakitura, Kiruhura district and later a National Launch at  Nyakasharara Public grounds. The theme of the day was “Towards an HIV Free Generation”. The Organization of the Organization of African First Ladies against HIV &AIDS (OAFLA) together with Ministry of Health, United Nations family and Aids Development Partners (ADPs) have launched ten other campaigns in the different regions of Uganda.
 
In her remarks at the stakeholders meeting that took place at her private home in Rwakitura, Hon. Janet Museveni said that HIV &AIDS has destroyed so many lives in Africa and as such stakeholders should not give up. She further stressed the need to address HIV &AIDS in children who are infected by their mothers, and also added that women ought to be helped because the epidemic is higher in women than in men. 
 
The first lady also called on district and religious leaders to encourage women to utilize the EMTCT services at health centers and attend all the four antenatal care services in order to give birth to healthy children.
 
At the community launch, she also decried the prevalence rate in the South Western region which stands at 8.5%, a figure higher than the national prevalence at 7.3% saying, “We must address the burden of HIV in the region, that should be our burden.”
 
On a good note however, the first lady thanked the Ministry of Health, UN family, highlighting the World Health Organization's (WHO) technical guidance that is paramount in gathering evidence and finding strategies to tackle HIV & AIDS, ADPs, Implementing Partners and all leaders for the tireless efforts in tackling the burden of HIV & AIDS.
 
OAFLA also recognized and awarded plaques to different partners for the tremendous support accorded to them in the EMTCT campaigns. These included the UN family, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and specially recognized Mr. Musa Bungudu of The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS  (UNAIDS)  for his unrivalled and passionate  effort and commitment in the EMTCT campaigns. 
 
Ms. Esperance Fundira the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) Representative spoke on behalf of the UN family at the community launch, and commended the government and the district leaders for the passion they have shown in tackling the HIV & AIDS epidemic. She thanked the President and First Lady for discussing the HIV problem publicly  and therefore affirming the need to tackle the scourge and not shy away from the problem. She reaffirmed the support of the UN in Uganda in the effort to tackle HIV &AIDS in children and mothers as well as the general population.
 
Mr. Musa Bungudu, the UNAIDS country coordinator who spoke at the stakeholder meeting on behalf of the UN family also commended Uganda for the progress made in tackling HIV & AIDS. He said that when the EMTCT campaign started, over 300,000 babies were being born with the HIV but was glad to note that the figure had dropped to 5000 babies in 2015. Mr. Musa also commended the President of Uganda H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his wife for testing for HIV publically, a gesture he said that he believed had a great impact on the number of people testing for HIV increasing. 
 
Dr. Kamya the District Health Officer Ntungamo District, presented the status report on the EMTCT services in the South Western Region on behalf of all the DHOs in the region. He said that HIV prevalence among women of reproductive age is 8.3% compared to 8% of general population in the region and 7.3%; the national average.  He further said having launched the EMTCT program in 2013, there has been tremendous uptake of its key indicators over the years. Dr. Kamya added that 90% of all the pregnant women attend ANC at least once during the course of their pregnancy and 99% of women who attend ANC are tested for HIV. 
 
He further added that the EMTCT implementation has caused an increase in the percentage of mothers who give birth at the health facility from 41% in 2013 to 49% in 2015.
 
Dr. Kamya however pointed out some challenges faced by the health service delivery in the South Western  region and highlighted the inadequacy in staff accommodation and poor proximity to the health centers, a factor that limits access to services.
 
At the launch, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson Rwabyona, a couple that has benefitted  EMTCT services in the region also gave a testimony and thanked the First lady for the opportunity her office (OAFLA) had accorded their family to have healthy children through introducing EMTCT services. Mr. Jackson Rwabyona said that they adhered to medication and ensured that their children were born free of HIV &AIDS.
 
The launch was a joyful one with many speakers thanking the first lady for improving the lives of Ugandans. It also attracted participation from various partners who had exhibition stalls with information material, different schools, district and religious leaders, the media as well as the Kiruhura community.

________________________

Below:

01 Mr. Musa Bungudu receives the award on behalf of the UN family. In set, Left to Right Dr. Steve Okwokwo UNICEF, Ms. Esperance Fundira UNFPA and Mr. Andrew Bakainaga WHO look on 

02 Left to Right Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye Minister of Health, First lady of Uganda with Mr. and Mrs Jackson Rwabyona who benefitted from the EMTCT services and gave birth to HIV free twins.