Fighting HIV
The regional breakdown of HIV throughout Uganda reflects the density of infection throughout the nation. While the disease is spread across the nation, the southernmost parts have the highest level of contraction. Within males and females, more females have received a positive diagnoses; a trend that continues in a rural/urban divide with 4.6% of urban males contracting the disease versus 4.7% of rural males. With females, these figures are significantly higher with percentages falling at 9.8% for urban and 6.7% for rural (g63).
While Uganda faces many diseases, and is under the potential threat of Ebola, which resides in neighboring country Democratic Republic of the Congo, HIV is one of its most pressing health issues. A survey conducted from August 2016 to March 2017 totals HIV positive diagnoses to 1.2 million adults. The divide between males and females is 4.7% and 7.6% respectively. This survey was conducted in collaboration with Uganda Virus Research Institute, Uganda Bureau of Statistics, World Health Organization Uganda, and UNAIDS.
HIV is an ongoing struggle within the country. although a near 60% of Viral Load Suppression (VLS) among adults marks the government's efforts as responsive.
Despite these positive trends, a UNAIDS report for 2018, indicates roughly 50,000 new HIV infections and 26,000 AIDS-related deaths. These figures total for a rise in HIV diagnoses at 1.3 million (g63).
"Uganda is the 'world's fittest country'" according to the WHO.
With roughly a quarter of the world's population not getting enough exercise a mere 5.5% of inactive Ugandan adults makes for a stark contrast. The reality of these fitness levels though is one of poverty not success. Manual labor and lengthy commutes done on foot make exercise classes negligible.
Jennifer Namulembwa is one such worker interviewed by the BBC whose salary does not allow for easier transport, instead necessitating traversing a railway line and crossing an eight-lane highway on her way to work. The hour and a half walk done twice every day, five days a week has become so familiar she no longer "feel[s] the distance."
Uganda is not alone though as the WHO noted how, in general, low-income countries have higher fitness levels due to physical activity being so integrated into their lifestyles. This is not the case for wealthier countries, which indicates a likely trend that as Uganda gains in wealth it will lose in fitness (m6).
Although exercise classes like this one are offered, Uganda's fitness level is derived from a high levels of foot-traffic commuters.