AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is proud to announce the launch of its popular ‘STAY NEGATIVE’ and ‘Love Condoms’ Campaign in Uganda, on Thursday, August 6th.
The launch of this innovative free condom distribution campaign, HIV prevention messaging and stepped-up free HIV testing effort is part of AHF’s worldwide campaign kicking off this month in numerous countries around the globe. The various worldwide launches come on the heels of AHF’s recent, successful launches of the ‘LOVE Condoms’ /STAY NEGATIVE campaign in Swaziland, India and South Africa, where the groundbreaking HIV prevention and awareness campaign was well received by the target audience—the public—as well as local and national media. Participants in the Uganda launch will include the Chief Guest the Director General of the Uganda AIDS Commission, Dr. David Apuuli. Also joining in the event will be officials from the Ministry of Health, the Executive Director of the Pan African Movement, community leaders, youth and AHF clients. The high energy event is expected to attract nearly 2,000 people for free, rapid HIV testing with 5,000 LOVE condoms expected to be distributed. As part of the event, one of three AHF/Uganda Cares STAY NEGATIVE billboards will be unveiled in Kampala, and a full page STAY NEGATIVE ad will appear in today’s ‘New Vision’ newspaper. Traditional Ugandan song and dance will flavor the event.
“We know that the time is now to refocus on condom distribution and HIV prevention in Uganda. New HIV cases are on the rise. We can stop HIV with cost-effective, common sense approaches and we are very pleased that the Uganda AIDS Commission has joined us in the campaign. Together we will renew HIV prevention in Uganda,” said Dr. Penninah “Penny” Iutung, AHF East/West Africa Bureau Chief. “We believe the positive and health affirming “Stay Negative” campaign combined with LOVE Condoms and free HIV testing is the combination that can work.”
“As global funding is quickly shrinking for long term HIV/AIDS treatment it is imperative that we re-energize innovative and effective marketing and prevention campaigns,” said Terri Ford, Senior Global Policy Director for AIDS Healthcare Foundation in Kampala for the launch. “This is a preventable disease. The introduction of the ‘LOVE Condoms’ campaign offers us a new beginning toward restoring the condom to its critical place at the front-line of effective global AIDS prevention and control. A condom saves a life – it’s the most cost effective weapon we have to stop HIV/AIDS.”
“We brought HIV rates in Uganda down from 30% to 6% -- we have done it before and we can do it again,” said Dr. Bernard Okongo, AHF’s Chief of Medicine/Africa. “We cannot sit back and watch rates continue to rise. Condoms, community testing and universal access to antiretroviral treatment will bring new infections down drastically in Uganda. We face a huge challenge but together we can reverse the very disturbing rise in new infections.”
“It is positive to be negative, and we have to get that important message out,” said Dr. Kate Ssamula, AHF/Uganda Cares’ Testing and Prevention Campaign Coordinator. “We think our ‘Stay Negative’ campaign is a great start. The ‘LOVE Condoms’ campaign that we are now launching features AHF’s own specially-branded ‘LOVE’ condoms—eye catching, bright red foil condom packets with the word ‘LOVE’ printed on the wrapper. We give three out with every free HIV test we offer as well as through special outreaches and custom dispensers throughout Kampala.”
“If you had the choice of taking a plain, white, date-stamped condom or a shiny, red LOVE Condom wrapper – which would you take? Our STAY NEGATIVE/‘Love Condoms’ campaign is just the beginning of a worldwide movement that can take safer sex efforts to new levels,” said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “It is my sincere hope that this worldwide campaign serves as a catalyst for renewed creativity and determination in local and global HIV prevention efforts.”
About The STAY NEGATIVE /‘Love Condoms’ Campaign