The United States government has reinstated all HIV/AIDS support to the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC), the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has announced.
Gen. Muhoozi shared the news on his X account, stating that the decision followed his recent tweet in which he pledged to ask newly sworn-in U.S. President Donald Trump to reinstate support for HIV/AIDS programs in Uganda.
He revealed that Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, had informed him about the development.
“I have learnt from Ambassador Adonia Ayebare that the US government has restored all HIV/AIDS support to the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) after my tweet some days ago,” he said.
Gen. Muhoozi expressed gratitude to President Trump and his administration for their support, as well as to the U.S. Ambassador to Uganda, William Pope, for his role in restoring the funding.
“I thank President Trump and his government for being on the right side of history and for helping our people! I also thank Ambassador William Popp for his fantastic work in restoring this support. Finally, I thank Ambassador Ayebare for coordinating this effort,” he added.
The U.S. had recently frozen funding to Uganda’s HIV/AIDS sector, causing concern about the country’s goal of ending HIV by 2030, as previous campaigns and efforts had relied heavily on American support.
The U.S. has been a major contributor to Uganda’s HIV/AIDS response, primarily through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Uganda’s goal of ending HIV/AIDS by 2030 depends on continued international funding, especially from the U.S.
The recent suspension of funding had raised fears of setbacks in treatment and prevention efforts.
Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s announcement suggests diplomatic efforts to restore U.S. support have been successful, securing vital resources for Uganda’s health sector.
