We don't swim in Uganda because of snails which release parasites in water which in turn cause schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia. I wanted to share with you this very interesting video about it. You may have never heard of it, but it is one of the leading causes of death in Africa.
We do swim in pools, but we avoid rivers and lakes. A doctor we talked to in Uganda says that we are safe to swim in fast flowing water, so we could probably do white water rafting on the Nile River in Uganda without a problem. We have no idea how many of our Ugandan friends currently are suffering from this parasite without even knowing. Unfortunately, it seems to be something that most Ugandans have no knowledge about. But we know it is common in Uganda.
Thanks for sharing the video about the blood flukes. So glad you are aware of the issues and will not succumb to the infection. So glad that you are helping to educate others in Uganda as well.
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