Health authorities in Mbarara City have raised concern after the city recorded 1,678 new HIV infections between January and December 2025, with the highest number of cases reported among adults and young people.
The figures were revealed by Dorcus Twinabaitu, the city’s HIV focal person, during a meeting involving city officials and partners reviewing HIV prevention, treatment and care services.
According to Twinabaitu, the majority of the new infections occurred among adults aged 25–39 years.
“Out of the 1,678 new HIV infections recorded in 2025, 42 were children aged 0–14 years, 448 were youths aged 15–24, 883 were adults aged 25–39, and 305 were people aged 40 years and above,” she said.
Health officials say the large number of infections among young people is particularly worrying because Mbarara hosts several universities and tertiary institutions, attracting thousands of students from across the country.
Twinabaitu attributed the rising infections partly to declining condom use and risky sexual behaviour among young people.
“One of the biggest challenges we are facing is the decline in condom use, particularly among young people. Many engage in sexual relations without first knowing their partners’ HIV status, which is accelerating the spread of the virus,” she warned.
Health officials have called for stronger prevention measures, including increased HIV testing, community awareness campaigns and promotion of safe sexual practices.
Mbarara remains one of the areas with relatively high HIV prevalence in Uganda, with estimates placing the rate in the city between about 8.1 percent and 9.6 percent, higher than the national average of roughly 5 percent.
Authorities say intensified community mobilisation and targeted interventions for young people will be critical if the country is to meet its goal of ending HIV as a public health threat by 2030.
