A Collaborated Intervention Extending HIV/AIDS Awareness and Prevention to Rural Uganda with Integration of Family Planning.

Paul Waiswa, Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU)
Humphrey Nabimanya, Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU)
Nkonge Ibrahim, Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU)
Gilbert Beyamba, Reach A Hand Uganda

Background: The HIV/AIDS epidemic remains a primary public health concern affecting Uganda’s youthful population aged 18 to 35. Although prevalence rates decreased by 1.3% between 2011 and 2017, 50,000 new infections are registered annually. The ‘90-90-90’ target set by the United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) and partners aiming to diagnose, provide antiretroviral therapy and achieve viral suppression for 90% of each respective goal by 2020. Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU) is contributing to these targets through the iKnow HIV/AIDS Awareness campaign. The campaign encourages young people between 16 and 35 to know their HIV status through a RAHU communication channel Strategy and Milestone: Since 2014, the project has grown from corporate talks to fully-fledged concerts extending to most regions in Uganda, especially those with high HIV prevalence rates. Peer educator model and cultural icons are used within know Kati to disseminate HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention information.