UGANDA: Economy hard-hit by HIV/AIDS

The health and agricultural sectors in Uganda had been badly affected, despite the fact that the country had managed to bring down the rate of infection, according to a recent UN Development Programme (UNDP) report. The 2002 UNDP Human Development Report said the loss of labour because of HIV/AIDS has dealt a serious blow to agriculture. A sample study carried out in five districts across the country last year showed that a large percentage of agricultural land had reverted to bush due to a shortage of labour to work it. The socio-economic impact of the epidemic has been immense with nearly 80 percent of those infected with HIV/AIDS between the age of 15-45 years, the most economically productive age group, the report said. According to the latest report by the Uganda AIDS Commission, 1.1 million Ugandans, are infected with HIV/AIDS. The report added that death among parents and teachers had also impacted negatively on the education sector, the most noticeable impact being an increase in the rate of school dropouts.