KAMPALA – The private sector in Uganda on Wednesday launched a one dollar HIV/AIDS initiative aiming at raising funds to run HIV/AIDS-related programmes in the country.
Speaking at the launch of the initiative in Kampala, the chairman, One dollar initiative, Prof. Vinand Nantulya said, its time Uganda started running an internal fundraising drive to solicit money to run various HIV programmes and reduce relying on the foreign support which currently stands at 93% annually.
Nantulya said that 137 Ugandans contract HIV/AIDS every day, translating to 962 per week, making it difficult for government and donor partners to support the swelling numbers on the currently limited funds.
He welcomed the new initiative which targets to raise over Sh100m in the fast year, saying it will reduce the heavy burden on government which has always been running short of funding towards the fight against AIDS.
However, Tamale George, one of the steering committee members of the one dollar initiative added that they are organizing a charity walk and run on December 9 this year, starting at city square, ending at KCCA grounds Lugogo where they intend to see private sector players pledge their commitment towards the initiative.
