By CHIMPREPORTS
A 2023 Uganda Aids Commission survey indicates progress in Uganda’s efforts to combat HIV and AIDS. However, the epidemic’s persistence at a high rate necessitates measures to curb infection numbers, as Uganda ranks fifth globally among countries with the highest HIV burden.
The prevalence of HIV among adults aged 15 to 64 in Uganda stands at 6.2% — 7.6% among females and 4.7% among males. This translates to approximately 1.2 million people aged 15 to 64 living with HIV in Uganda. Notably, HIV prevalence is higher among urban women (9.8%) compared to their rural counterparts (6.7%).
Against this backdrop, I&M Bank has, for the second consecutive year, confirmed its sponsorship of the Kabaka Birthday Run scheduled for April 7 in Kampala.
The Run is an annual event supporting the fight against HIV/AIDS. Since its inception in 2013, the Kabaka Birthday Run has raised awareness and funds to tackle various diseases, including Fistula and Sickle Cell Disease.
Last year, the initiative focused on the fight against HIV/AIDS with the appointment of His Majesty Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II as the United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) Goodwill Ambassador for Ending AIDS among men in eastern and southern Africa, with a special focus on Buganda Kingdom.
Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga remains optimistic that a healthy citizenry greatly contributes to the country’s well-being. He emphasizes the need for Ugandans to take the fight against HIV/AIDS seriously, aligning with the international community’s efforts.
“Our vision is to bring about social and economic transformation for the people in the Kingdom and Uganda. We want people to live happy lives, to live decently. But the major factor going to determine that is the health of the ordinary person because it’s the ordinary person that contributes to the economy of a country.”
“We, therefore, join the efforts of the international community in the fight against AIDS. We also welcome our partners like I&M Bank, Airtel, Nirvana Water, and UNAIDS, who are with us in this fight,” said the Katikiro.
With a vision focused on positively transforming physical, social, and economic environments in Ugandan communities, the Kabaka Birthday Run will operate under the theme ‘Men for Good Health to Save Girl Child and the Fight to End HIV/AIDS by 2030.’ This provides I&M Bank with a credible platform to empower communities as an approach to HIV prevention.
I&M Bank’s Executive Director and Chief Operations Officer, Sam Ntulume, expresses enthusiasm about the partnership, seeing it as an opportunity to make a difference in ending the AIDS epidemic while creating an emotional connection with clients and communities.
“As financial partners of the coveted annual Kabaka Birthday Run, we seize this opportunity to renew our commitment to deliver a positive impact in the Community by supporting worthy causes, institutions, and individuals across the country.”
“Community empowerment approaches for HIV prevention have proven successful in addressing social and structural factors such as stigma, discrimination, violence, and reducing HIV risk among the population. We are eager to make our contribution towards achieving an HIV/AIDS-free generation by 2030,” said Mr. Ntulume.
Last year’s run attracted 100,000 participants, and this number is projected to grow even larger this year.
The Kabaka Birthday Run is not only celebrated in Uganda but also in different parts of the world, involving Ugandans who pledge allegiance to the Buganda Kingdom.
The Kabaka birthday run 2024 kits are available for Shs 20k, and the event is scheduled for Sunday, April 7, 2024.
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