Chapter 2: A Multisectoral Strategy for Overcoming AIDS in Uganda

In response to the escalating HIV/AIDS epidemic in Uganda, the government adopted a multisectoral strategy for the prevention, treatment, and mitigation of the disease. While traditionally viewed as primarily a health problem, Uganda shifted its response towards a collaborated effort in the early 1990s that has included many different government sectors. This cross-sectoral strategy has sometimes been compared to a cocktail strategy, emphasizing that multiple governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are united in their efforts for combating the national health crisis.

In this chapter, we provide a historical overview of HIV/AIDS education programs in Uganda since the mid-1980s. While many of the early educational efforts were implemented outside of the official national curriculum, this paper also details the paradigmatic shift toward including it as part of key subjects in the primary and secondary subsectors. We also provide an outline of Uganda’s multisectoral education efforts that has and continues to lead to behavioral change communication (BCC) among students. This multisectoral strategy has since been implemented in many countries throughout the world and is viewed as a key overarching strategy for curbing the epidemic.