Background

In recognition of the fact that HIV/AIDS has causes and consequences beyond the health sector, the Government of Uganda adopted the multisectoral approach to the control of AIDS in 1990. The multisectoral policy and strategy stipulates,

"all Ugandans have individual and collective responsibility to be actively involved in AIDS prevention and control activities, in a coordinated manner, at the various administrative and political levels down to the grassroots level"

Responses have been generated from various stakeholders at all levels and from all sectors. It was earlier envisaged that these efforts will demand for central coordination to ensure harmony and focus on common goals. Uganda AIDS Commission was established in 1992 to spearhead this coordination.

The concept of HIV/AIDS coordination (.pdf) evolved over the years as partners participated in developing an effective coordination mechanism for the national response. Great emphasis is now placed on participatory coordination and self coordination among clustered stakeholders. The Uganda HIV/AIDS Partnership was established to assist UAC to coordinate the national response and consensus has been reached among district leadership on district coordination guidelines

It should be noted that coordination faces major challenges that appear to emanate from the fact that the vulnerable, the infected and affect cannot easily conceptualize direct benefits of coordination as opposed to service delivery. Consequently coordination at any level faces challenges of limited understanding, competing priorities and consequently resources constraints yet various reviews (e.g.1997 and 2001 .pdf ) reflect coordination, and a neutrally placed UAC in particular, are crucial components of an effective and harmonized national response. This partner-will however needs to be continually enhanced with visible benefits of coordination to stakeholders to eventually benefit the vulnerable, infected and affected. Similarly coordination should not be a domain of one organization but rather the coordinating body should guide joint coordination at various levels.