Young Women Account for Majority of New HIV Infections Among Uganda’s Youth

What the report says

Adolescent girls and young women are responsible for the majority of new HIV infections among Ugandans aged 15 to 24, according to the Uganda AIDS Commission, which said the group accounts for about 10,000 of an estimated 13,000 new youth infections. The commission said the pattern remains a major concern even as Uganda has made gains in HIV prevention and treatment.

Acting Director General Tom Etii said young women are being infected at a rate far higher than their male peers, making them a priority in the country’s prevention efforts. He also pointed to urban centres as areas of heightened risk, naming Fort Portal City, Soroti and Lira among places with prevalence rates above the national average of 5.9 per cent. Nile Post reported that these figures were cited as evidence that some communities still face a heavier burden despite national progress.

Etii said Uganda has reduced HIV prevalence from roughly 18 per cent in the early years of the epidemic to 5.9 per cent, helped by a broad prevention and treatment response. He added that most people living with HIV who know their status are on treatment and many have achieved viral suppression, which supports public health and productivity.

The commission said the findings will feed into the 2026 National HIV and AIDS Symposium, scheduled for November 16 to 18 at Mbarara University of Science and Technology. The meeting, being organized with partners, will focus on sustainable HIV interventions and domestic financing as external support declines, ahead of World AIDS Day activities and broader efforts to reach the 2030 goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat.