The government has instructed all civil servants to spend two hours a week engaging in physical exercise to keep them fit and healthy.
The directive was shared in a letter to government agencies from the head of public service, Lucy Nakyobe, who stated that the sessions would “help improve the health and well-being of staff and reduce the burden of disease.”
The Government of Uganda also tweeted that the initiative will “address the increasing burden of lifestyle diseases” in the country.
This directive comes two years after a national health survey showed that obesity rates in the country had risen from 17% to 26% over the last 17 years.
This is not the first time Uganda’s government has introduced initiatives to encourage exercise. In 2018, Uganda established a national day for physical activity, which includes sporting activities held across the country.
Dr. Charles Oyoo Akiya, the commissioner for non-communicable diseases prevention, informed local media that the health ministry had already been conducting exercise sessions for their staff, and they aimed to implement it across all departments.
The Government has ordered ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to institute weekly physical exercise sessions for their staff to tame the rising burden of lifestyle diseases. pic.twitter.com/loed4Ivomt
— Government of Uganda (@GovUganda) March 26, 2024
