The ministry of health in Uganda has responded to misleading media reports about the antiretroviral drug availability in the country.
This happened after the USAID program which has been party of the Uganda health being stopped by the American new president Donald Trump.
According the statement released today, ARVs are still available and free to everyone using them in the country.
They also said that local pharmaceutical industry is growing and the ARVs are being produced day and night.
Here is the full statement;
RESPONSE TO MISLEADING MEDIA REPORTS ON ANTIRETROVIRAL
DRUG AVAILABILITY
Kampala, 20th March 2025 – The Ministry of Health has noted with concern the
misleading and inaccurate report published in the New Vision on 18th March 2025, titled
“Panic as HIV Drug Supply Reduces.” The assertions in this article are exaggerated and
misrepresent the actual status of antiretroviral (ARV) drug availability in Uganda,
thereby causing unnecessary fear and anxiety among the public.
The Ministry of Health would like to clarify the following:
- ARVs remain available and free in all public and Private Not-For-Profit (PNFP)
health facilities. The Ministry, through the National Medical Stores (NMS) and
Joint Medical Stores (JMS), distributes ARVs to over 2,000 health facilities every
two months. Over the past two years, there have been no reported stockouts of
ARVs. - Drug procurement remains unaffected despite the ongoing United States
Government executive order on re-evaluating and realigning foreign aid. - A shift towards a patient-centered model is underway, integrating services for
HIV/AIDS, TB, Hepatitis B, Hypertension, and Diabetes into routine outpatient and
chronic care services across all healthcare levels. This long-planned reform
enhances service delivery and addresses inefficiencies in vertical health
p r o g r a m s . - Uganda’s local pharmaceutical sector is growing, with WHO-prequalified
manufacturing at Quality Chemicals Uganda Limited in Luzira, Kampala. Since
2023, the company has been producing ARVs and anti-malarial medicines for both
local and international markets.
The Ministry of Health calls upon media houses to uphold ethical reporting by verifying
facts before publication. Misinformation on critical health matters can create
unnecessary panic and hinder national HIV/AIDS response efforts. We urge responsible
journalism that aligns with our shared goal of protecting public health.
Additionally, the Ministry remains committed to collaborating with Civil Society
Organizations (CSOs), People Living with HIV, and all stakeholders to ensure continuous
access to HIV prevention, care, and treatment services. We also encourage CSOs to
support treatment literacy campaigns to promote adherence and improve health
outcomes for all people living with HIV.
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We reassure all Ugandans that HIV prevention and treatment services remain accessible
and free nationwide. The Government of Uganda remains fully committed to ensuring a
steady supply of high-quality, effective antiretroviral treatment and we encourage all
people living with HIV to fully utilize these essential services. This commitment is clearly
outlined in the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2020/21-2024/25. This is
evidenced by Uganda’s progress towards the AIDS response where a total of 1.4 million
people are currently on antiretroviral treatment achieving 89% viral suppression.
Camor
Dr. Charles Olaro
Ag. DIRECTOR GENERAL HEALTH SERVICES