Parents, Schoolgirls Urged to Test as Sickle-Cell Spreads in Teso

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1353 EAT on Monday 24 November 2025

Secondary schoolgirls in Soroti City, eastern Uganda, are reportedly engaging in commercial sex for as little as Shs 1,000, a practice local leaders say is exacerbating the region’s high HIV/AIDS rates.

The 2024 Uganda AIDS Commission report shows Soroti’s HIV prevalence at 12.5 percent—second only to Fort Portal (13.5 percent) and more than double the national average of 5.1 percent.

At the Soroti Secondary School annual meeting on Saturday, Sheikh Obilan Abubakar Umar, Regional Assistant Mufti for Teso-Karamoja, disclosed that authorities have identified at least 120 “hot spots” linked to commercial sex in the city, including areas where schoolgirls allegedly sell sex for Shs 1,000–2,000.

Sheikh Obilan has warned that certain practices are seriously harming Uganda’s culture, religion, and the Teso sub-region.

The cleric strongly condemned parents who marry off underage daughters, effectively denying them the right to education.

“I have credible information about a Muslim parent with a Senior Two daughter who is actively seeking a husband for her. Such actions must be reported immediately, and the law should take its course,” he stated.

He called on communities to remain alert to the exploitation of young girls, whether through forced marriage or commercial sex, and criticised parents who treat their daughters as a source of income.

Sheikh Obilan further noted that some parents enroll girls in school without providing necessary support, pushing them toward survival strategies that erode cultural and spiritual values. He warned that neglecting children’s welfare can result in trauma, stress, and long-term psychological challenges.

Uganda risks a troubled future if children grow up without guidance, a health official has warned, calling the phenomenon “parental absenteeism.”

The Resident Advisor on Health (RAM) highlighted that beyond HIV/AIDS, the Teso sub-region faces other serious health challenges, including cervical cancer and a rising burden of sickle-cell disease. He noted that Teso now ranks second only to Lango in national sickle-cell prevalence, underscoring the urgent need for targeted interventions.

“The disease is spreading rapidly in Teso, and we must confront it together,” he said.

Sheikh Obilan noted that the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council’s regional office is leading efforts to combat sickle-cell disease through mass testing, counselling, and promotion of pre-marital screening.

He urged parents to get tested and called on schoolgirls to undergo screening to determine their carrier status. He also announced that a dedicated sickle-cell clinic will soon be established in Soroti city.

Credit To The Observer.