The Chairperson of Mbarara District, Didas Tabaro, has urged government to consider introducing mandatory HIV/AIDS testing for all Ugandans as a strategy to accelerate the reduction of new infections and move the country closer to achieving epidemic control by 2030.
Tabaro made the remarks on Friday while speaking at the closing ceremony of the National HIV/AIDS Symposium held at Mbarara University of Science and Technology. He argued that voluntary testing, while crucial, has left large gaps because many people still hesitate to know their status or seek medical support early.
“We must intensify testing and sensitization. Many Ugandans fear knowing their status, and this delay leads to late treatment and continued spread of the virus,” Tabaro said, adding that mandatory screening could save lives by increasing early diagnosis and timely access to treatment.
In her opening remarks at the National HIV & AIDS Symposium 2025, Canon Dr. Ruth Senyonyi, Chairperson of the Uganda AIDS Commission, noted that Uganda has significantly reduced HIV prevalence from 18% in the 1980s to 4.9% today.
However, she stressed the need to scale up prevention, testing, and treatment efforts particularly among men and young people and to eliminate mother-to-child transmission if the country is to achieve the goal of ending AIDS by 2030.
Her comments come just days ahead of World AIDS Day, commemorated annually on December 1, and at a time when new figures from the Uganda AIDS Commission indicate a national HIV prevalence of 4.9 percent. However, Mbarara District continues to record a significantly higher rate of 7.5 percent, raising concerns about testing coverage, treatment adherence, and awareness among communities.
Health experts at the symposium echoed these concerns, calling for strengthened grassroots campaigns, broader access to antiretroviral treatment, and improved community engagement strategies.
As the countdown to the 2030 targets continues, the national conversation around HIV testing is expected to intensify, with policymakers and health stakeholders now examining whether mandatory screening is feasible, ethical, and effective in reducing new infections.
