The Bushenyi District health department has expressed worry over the increased number of HIV/AIDS patients in the district. 

Gregory Tushabe, the Bushenyi Deputy District Health Officer, said currently, 17,000 adults and 1,710 children are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the district. 

This number does not account for the people who are not aware of their sero statuses. 

He attributed the HIV/AIDS scourge to the increased number of bars and as well as tea factories within the district. This is due to rural-to-urban migration where people come from areas to seek employment among other things.

According to statistics, at least 6.4 % of Bushenyi residents live with HIV/AIDS, with 5.3% of men living with the virus, while 7.5% of females are also infected. 

The Bushenyi resident district commissioner, Robert Atuhairwe, said the trend is a worrying one that requires immediate intervention from the health ministry. 

Atuhairwe pointed to the towns of Kizinda, Butare, Mashonga, and Kitwe-Rwentuuha, as black spots where most people, especially young ladies, are infected with HIV/AIDS. 

Local government minister, Raphael Magyezi, noted that it is a shame that in Bushenyi, there has been a rapid increase in HIV/AIDS infections and that district leaders should explore ways to mitigate it. 

"As leaders, we need to sit and mitigate how this can come to an end," Magyezi said. 

The Ministry of Health and UNAIDS 2023 district-level HIV estimates and projections reveal that the Southern Buganda region took the lead with about 9,820 new HIV infections, followed by Northern Buganda recording a total of 5,730.

Ankole recorded 3,990 new infections, Kampala 3,340, followed by Busoga, Acholi, Bunyoro, Bukedi and Elgon regions.