This story first appeared in the recently released World AIDS Day report 2025

Across eastern and southern Africa, men and boys are less likely to test for HIV, initiate antiretroviral therapy or remain engaged in care. As a result, although HIV prevalence is higher among women and girls, the number of AIDS-related deaths is higher among men and boys in the region.

One leader recognized the challenge and decided to use his influence to create positive change. In the traditional kingdom of the Buganda people within present-day Uganda, the King, His Majesty Mutebi II, has championed health and well-being over the course of his reign, including through a series of campaigns that aim to instil healthy social norms and health-seeking behaviours. Previous campaigns have focused on promoting polio immunization, blood donation, maternal and child health and physical exercise. Buganda is home to 12 million of the 49 million people living in Uganda.

Beginning in 2016, Uganda decided to harness the influence of traditional leadership to encourage men and boys to test for HIV, and for those who test positive to start and stay on treatment. This national effort, which the King carried forward in Buganda, is premised on the conviction that social influencers such as the King are uniquely well positioned to change the attitudes and social norms of men and boys. In 2017, UNAIDS appointed the King as a UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador on ending AIDS in eastern and southern Africa to support and highlight the King’s leadership to improve HIV outcomes among men and boys in the kingdom.

To undertake his health promotion campaigns, the King leverages his influence to obtain financial support for campaigns and to maximize their reach and effectiveness. The King has been able to attract financial support for the health campaigns from private-sector partners such as Airtel Uganda and DFCU Bank to contribute to the health campaign focused on men and boys.

The King’s HIV advocacy campaign, Abaami Munyenye (“Men are Stars”), focused on men and boys aged 15–49 years living in districts with a high HIV burden. The campaign used innovative means to generate resources and reach men and boys with key messages, including at major sporting events, such as a marathon to celebrate the King’s birthday, which attracted 50 000–60 000 participants (85% male), and the Malaza football cup, which attracted 20 000–30 000 fans. In addition to leveraging these events to reach tens of thousands of men and boys with health promotion messages, the fees paid by event participants raised funds to support health services for men and boys.

The advocacy campaign has had a clear positive impact on HIV outcomes in Buganda. From 2016 to 2020, the percentage of people living with HIV who knew their HIV status rose from 89% to 94%, HIV treatment coverage increased from 64% to 92%, and the number of new HIV infections declined by 52%.

The King’s previous health promotion campaigns typically ran for three years each, but there was consideration in 2025 to replace the HIV campaign. With donor cutbacks potentially jeopardizing national momentum towards HIV epidemic control, the King determined that now was not the time to move on from the HIV response. As a result, the campaign to improve HIV outcomes is now continuing across the kingdom.

GENEVA, 12 December 2025–For the past four decades, the HIV response has worked hard advocating for HIV treatment but also other HIV and health services that are free, without stigma or discrimination, people-centred, and grounded in human rights. It is by delivering inclusive, rights-based HIV and health services, that Universal Health Coverage (UHC) can be achieved.

On Universal Health Coverage Day, UNAIDS stresses the importance of UHC so that everyone has access to the quality health services they need without suffering financial hardship due to the cost of paying for those services. UHC should include quality essential HIV services from prevention to treatment through a clearly defined health benefit package.

“The HIV response is a stress test for UHC so when people living with HIV, key and other vulnerable populations are excluded, the entire health system fails,” said Angeli Achrekar, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Programmes. “When they are included however, the system becomes stronger, fairer and more efficient for all.”

Currently 9.2 million people still do not have access to HIV treatment, and millions more cannot obtain PrEP– medicine which prevents HIV. UHC, health security, and ending HIV, Tuberculosis and malaria are not separate ambitions. They are intersecting global goals that can only be attained as one. In addition, as the HIV movement learned long ago: health is never just the health sector’s job.

Communities have shown the clearest path to UHC with community-led testing, peer navigation, differentiated service delivery, rights advocacy, and accountability. People need integrated services throughout their lives, delivered where and by whom they prefer, including by their own communities.

“UHC cannot be universal unless it works for people living with HIV and other affected communities,” said Florence Riako Anam, Co-Executive Director GNP+ (Global Network of People Living with HIV). “UHC will only succeed when our voices, our leadership, and our lived experience shape the services and care we rely on to stay alive.”

On UHC Day, UNAIDS calls on governments and partners to:

• Sustainably fund HIV and community-led services
• Remove discriminatory and punitive laws
• Integrate HIV services with primary health care without compromising rights or quality
• Put people living with HIV and communities at the centre of decision-making, service delivery design and implementation

Ending AIDS and achieving UHC together is a powerful and necessary legacy for today’s leaders. It is also a shared responsibility from governments, communities, development partners to the private sector as well as individuals. The forthcoming Global AIDS Strategy for 2026–2031 and the next generation of HIV integration targets are fully aligned with UHC affirming that progress on HIV and progress on universal health coverage is inseparable.

The way forward is integration.