Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Uganda

UPHIA Survey gets boost from CDC

The Country Representative ICAP in Uganda Dr. Sam Biraro has handed over three Vehicles to the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health Dr. Diana Atwine in support of the Uganda Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment Survey.

To further boost government efforts towards containing the HIV/AIDS scourge, Ministry of Health and partners launched the Uganda Population Based HIV Impact Assessment survey, that will measure the reach and impact of the country’s HIV prevention, care and treatment services. This nationwide household survey aims to estimate HIV incidence, prevalence, and viral load suppression among adults and children. UPHIA will also benchmark Uganda’s progress toward targets of 90% coverage in each area. This information is critical to helping Uganda chart a course to reach the UNAIDS’ 90-90-90 targets and ultimately bring the HIV epidemic under control.

UPHIA data will help Uganda sustain its achievements in responding to HIV, and help improve the response in the future while individuals who participate in the survey can contribute to improving health services for all Ugandans.

By combining interviews with in-home HIV counselling and testing, UPHIA can provide more accurate estimates of HIV incidence and prevalence in Uganda.

The data collection exercise is expected to end by March this year after which preliminary data analysis will be done and eventually detailed data analysis which will inform policy briefs and working papers.

It will cover all sampled districts of Uganda, 520 villages and about 44,000 individuals. So far about 60 percent of the fieldwork is completed.

‘It is a household based survey with interviews, blood draws, and tests performed in the field – HIV, High Blood Samples, CD4 counts.’ Dr. Sam Biraro said.

The Permanent secretary Ministry of Health Dr. Diana Atwine said that there is need to have quality results which will guide and intensify efforts against HIV/AIDS by accelerating Prevention services, Care and Treatment.

Dr. Diana cautioned those involved in the survey to do the work with diligence and minimize compromised results.

She also asked the experts in the assessment survey to generate data that will inform Policy formulation and intervention for control and prevention.

‘The results should efficiently depict Uganda’s position in the HIV struggle to the rest of the World.’ Dr. Diana said.

The success of this survey largely depends on the voluntary participation of the selected households countrywide and also on everyone encouraging and supporting the survey teams in the different enumeration areas.