A drop in HIV cases was registered in 2020 according to experts compared to 2018 and 2019. Apparently, they registered 38,000 cases contrary to the 53,000 cases registered in 2018 and 2019. No clear reason was given for this drop in number. However, They anticipate that the lockdown could have contributed to this drop in infections.
The Uganda AIDS Commission, UAC, director, Dr. Nelson Musoba said he could relate this reduction in HIV cases to limited movement.
“We are analysing the cause of the reduction, but one of the contributing factors we are thinking about is restrictions on movement which limited people from moving around in the night due to curfew,” he said.
“In 2019, new HIV infections were 53,000, but the data we have for January-December 2020, shows that the infections are at 38,000. This is a massive reduction in infections,”
However, Dr. Nelson said they are still combining results in the specification. Which group is most affected? Which area registered most cases and the sort.
“We are still looking at the data to disaggregate in terms of age groups, districts that are most affected. We are also assessing changes in the distribution of new infections in urban and rural areas,” he said.
Meanwhile, at the beginning of the lockdown, UAC thought they would register more cases. This was so because people were so idol at that time.
“When we were interacting previously and in light of the challenges posed by the pandemic, we thought new HIV infections could rise but the data is showing us the reverse. We are still trying to understand what could have caused it,” Dr. Nelson said.
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