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Lira City sees 3% drop in HIV prevalence rate

5 March 2026, 12:42

A section of stakeholders in Lango and a team of officials from Uganda Aids Commission at Lira Hotel meeting to discuss best ways of fighting HIV

By Winnie Auma

The rate of HIV infection in Lira City has reduced by 3% in the last two years.The Lira City Health Educator, Robert Ogwal, said the rate of HIV infection in the city is currently reducing as compared to the past 2 years.

Lira City Health Educator, Robert Ogwal

Ogwal said the rate of infection has dropped from 12% in 2023 to 9% in 2025, attributing the decline to teamwork among Lira City leaders who joined hands in the fight against HIV.

Ogwal explaining how Lira City managed to get a reduction in HIV prevalence

Hillary Okello, the HIV focal point person for Lira City, said this was achieved because they reached out to key populations such as prostitutes, street children and those in the transport sectors.

He added that they recently discovered that the rate of HIV infection is high among people working at construction sites like Akii Bua Stadium and different road construction sites.

Hillary Okello explaining how they managed to work with the key population to reduce HIV prevalence

Lawrence Egole, the Resident City Commissioner, urged the Uganda AIDS Commission team to come up with proper communication strategies to sensitize people in the community about the disease.He rallied leaders in Lango to use social gatherings such as churches, marriage ceremonies, and funeral gatherings to spread the message about the need to fight the disease.

Lira Resident City Commissioner, Lawrence Egole

Meanwhile, the Deputy Mayor for Lira City, Rebecca Alwedo Ogole, attributed the high level of HIV prevalence among locals to a poor mindset, saying most people take it as a minor disease because they believe it does not kill quickly.

However, she said it weakens people’s immune systems, making them prone to many diseases and can eventually cause death.She therefore urged the Uganda AIDS Commission to send clear messages to the community about the dangers associated with the disease for a safer community.

Lira City Deputy Mayor, Rebecca Alwedo on the need for proper messages about the dangers of HIV

Dr Peter Wakooba, the Head of Monitoring and Evaluation with the Uganda AIDS Commission, said the HIV prevalence in Lango sub-region stands at 6.1%, which is high compared to other regions in Northern Uganda.

He therefore called upon different stakeholders in the area to work jointly and spread proper messages to help reduce the rate of HIV infection in the community.

Peter Wakooba, the head of M&E with Uganda Aids Commission