Ugandan, Sudanese ministers exchange ideas on fight against AIDS epidemic

KAMPALA, Dec 14, 2004 (Xinhua) — Ugandan Health Minister Jim Muhwezi met here on Monday with his Sudanese counterpart Ahmed Bilal Osman and both of them exchanged ideas on the fight against the AIDS epidemic, according to The New Vision newspaper on Tuesday.

During the meeting, the Sudanese minister said the number of people living with HIV/AIDS was growing, especially among the youth, women and children because of the conflict in southern Sudan.

“We have more HIV/AIDS victims in southern Sudan, the capital and the east where refugees have taken host,” he said.

“There is also a problem of condom use among the citizens and that is what we have come to learn from you so that we can apply it in our country,” he added.

The Ugandan health minister said the epidemic was not difficult to stop.

“We only need concerted effort and determination to stop the spread. The epidemic is now globally recognized as one of the developing world’s largest impediments to achieving the millennium development goals,” Muhwezi said.

He, however, said there were challenges like the prices of anti- retroviral drugs which are still not affordable by all, adding that “this may eliminate a number of those who require treatment.”

The prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in Uganda has reduced from 18 percent in early 1990s to 6 percent now.

Since 1982, over one million Ugandans have died of AIDS with over one million living with the disease.

Sudanese Health Minister Ahmed Bilal Osman arrived here on Monday for a week-long visit to Uganda.