Uganda is one of only two African countries where AIDS is rising. The HIV infection rate went from 6.4% in 2005 to 7.3% in 2012.
At around the same time, the United States of America spent around $1.7 billion to fight AIDS in Uganda through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) who partnered with faith groups in 2003 to focus on abstinence-only policies.
Before, Uganda's AIDS rate had been decreasing, but instead of continuing this, the new programs backfired. The Uganda AIDS Indicator Survey revealed that 25% of married men had multiple sex partners, and less than 8% of them were using condoms when they were having sex outside of their marriage.
PEPFAR still emphasizes abstinence -- please tell PEPFAR to focus on safe sex policies, not abstinence!
Dear PEPFAR,
I am writing to you all today concerning the AIDS program for Uganda. Before PEPFAR teamed up with faith groups and started promoting abstinence-only policies in the country, HIV/AIDS in Uganda was actually on the decline.
Now, it is one of only two countries where it is on the rise, with 25% of Ugandan married men having sex outside of marriage and only 8% of them using condoms.
Please focus on safe sex policies, which are proven to work more efficiently, and terminate abstinence programs.
Thank you for your time.
