“Everything is a Mess”: How COVID‑19 is Impacting Engagement with HIV Testing Services in Rural Southwestern Uganda

Abstract

In southwestern Uganda, where HIV prevalence among sexually active adults is ~ 7% [1], we have been conducting longitudinal research to improve uptake of HIV testing among communities who utilize informal health providers, such as traditional healers. On March 12, 2020, the first case of COVID-19 was described in eastern Africa [2]. Shortly thereafter, Ugandan President Museveni enacted countrywide ordinances to mitigate the spread of the disease [3]. These restrictions included suspension of public gatherings, closure of schools and non-essential business, discontinuation of public transportation, and enforcement of a national curfew. At the time of these regulations, our study was conducting scheduled 90-day follow up interviews among participants referred for voluntary HIV testing at the District regional referral hospital. In this Note from the Field, we present data from 20 in-depth interviews conducted between April and May 2020 describing the impact of COVID-19 on uptake of HIV testing in southwestern Uganda. We believe the experiences of our participants may be representative of other rural, HIV-endemic regions of sub-Saharan Africa.