Katikkiro Mayiga Emphasises HIV Prevention in Buganda's Restoration Drive

The Katikkiro of Buganda, Charles Peter Mayiga, has emphasised that prioritising HIV prevention, testing, and awareness is essential to the kingdom’s overarching vision of restoration and progress. Speaking during a visit to the Lwazi Bubeke Islands in Ssese County, Mayiga noted that island communities often face limited access to health information, exposing residents to heightened infection risks that could undermine their futures.

Mayiga explained that Buganda’s revival goes far beyond physical infrastructure projects, demanding a healthy, empowered, and productive population. True development, he noted, encompasses living healthy lives, educating children, maintaining decent living standards, and securing reliable incomes. The journey toward greatness, he stressed, begins with personal responsibility for one’s health.

Addressing the island residents, the Katikkiro urged individuals to avoid HIV, undergo regular testing, and strictly adhere to prescribed medication. He also called upon religious leaders to leverage places of worship to spread awareness and promote preventive measures within their congregations.

Directing his message to the youth, Mayiga cautioned against risky behaviors and advised young people to seek professional counseling, testing, and medical guidance from qualified healthcare workers rather than relying solely on self-testing kits.

During the visit, Mayiga commended organisers of a health camp that served over 700 people. He appealed to the government to improve remuneration for health workers operating under challenging conditions in island areas. Furthermore, he urged local fishermen to adopt sustainable fishing practices by avoiding immature fish to protect shared lake resources.

Concluding his remarks, Mayiga praised the Bubeke Sub-county leadership for leading community development contributions relative to population size, reiterating that collective prosperity relies heavily on individual wellbeing. Read the full story on Nile Post.