In the structured environment of the military, we are better equipped to identify when a colleague is struggling. Peers play a key role in providing … - Evarlyne Buregyeya Asiimwe

Some of the challenges we face involve "pulling ropes," especially when it comes to context. In today’s world, global factors affect nearly everything. Implementing programs in a unique environment can be difficult because it’s challenging for partners or donors to fully understand and perceive the situation as you do. For example, with HIV mobile testing, some may find it difficult to accept the idea of bringing services directly to people, which can seem unusual. Global programs often come with challenges in creating interventions that truly address the specific needs and realities on the ground.

Yes, it is. One of our key achievements is the introduction of the mobile approach for Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC). I believe the UPDF was the first to implement this model, and now it has been adopted widely. It’s not just about pioneering these initiatives, but also about responding to the unique needs of the situation. We realized that establishing a traditional health facility to serve our troops would be impractical—when would we ever complete a whole battalion? And with soldiers often deployed to remote locations, getting them to a fixed facility would be challenging. This is why our funding model is so distinctive. Current funding focuses on high-incidence areas, but often, these areas don’t have our troops. Instead, our soldiers may be stationed in regions where the HIV prevalence is lower, but they still require services. In some of the most remote locations, the prevalence might not be high, but access to healthcare is extremely difficult. It's not just about providing services to soldiers, but also to the surrounding communities who live in these hard-to-reach areas. We must ensure that people in these regions have access to care. It’s been valuable that PEPFAR has recognized the unique challenges of military health needs and routed funding through URC-DHAPP, an organization that understands military logistics and can effectively negotiate at that level. When mapping HIV distribution across Uganda, the scientific approach is logical, but it doesn’t account for the large group of people—soldiers and civilians alike—who still need care, whether it’s treatment or prevention services. Without a tailored approach, these individuals might be overlooked.

Our figures tend to be higher than those of the Ministry of Health, but as I mentioned earlier, it’s not just the soldiers. We serve soldiers, their families, and the surrounding communities. In fact, in many of our service areas, civilians make up the largest percentage of our clients. We often hear feedback from people who prefer the services provided by military facilities. In fact, we are performing exceptionally well in most of the programs we run.