Uganda's Early Gains Against HIV Eroding

Here is a very good story by Craig Timberg in today’s Washington Post about Uganda’s slip in the fight against HIV/AIDS.  Uganda has been one of the remarkable success stories for the fight against the AIDS pandemic in Africa—it dramatically reduced its citizen’s infection rates through a strong, concerted anti-infection campaign.  Now, as a new generation comes of age at a time when the disease is less of a concern in Uganda, dangerous sexual habits are on the rise, and so is HIV.

This isn’t really that unusual, the same thing has happened in the United States, as infection rates decrease fear of the disease is reduced and risky behavior becomes more common.  But this is where real leadership can make all the difference.  Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni who, according to a quote in this piece by his spokesman “has gotten a bit bored with the AIDS story,” needs to step up like he did before.  This is where it gets difficult but where strong leadership can truly change everything.

It would be a huge blow to the difficult battle against HIV/AIDS in Africa for Uganda, the one true success story, the shinning star in the fight, to slip back into the dangerous fray?  Mr. Museveni, please don’t let that happen.