General
Pharmacy has a new home in Makerere
The proposed new building for the School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences was yesterday 7th January 2010 officially handed over by the contractor M/S Arab Contractors at a ceremony presided over by the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba.
The proposed new building for the School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences was yesterday 7th January 2010 officially handed over by the contractor M/S Arab Contractors at a ceremony presided over by the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba.
An inspection of the building was led by Project Manager from M/S COWI Uganda Eng. Peter Lohmann Otteskov, which saw the delegation tour the new facility complete with access ramps for people with disabilities, a 200-seater lecture theatre, laboratories, lecture rooms, staff offices, an indoor canteen and a high pressure hazard shower area, in the event of accidental chemical spills onto end-users.
The delegation then proceeded to the lecture theatre, where the Lead Consultant Eng. Otteskov thanked both parties from Makerere and the Contractors for their efforts, which culminated in the completion of the 4-year project.
Eng. Arfat Abdel Wahed, General Manager, M/S Arab Contractors Uganda on behalf of his company expressed his pleasure in handing over yet another building in Makerere University to its end-users. He then pledged the Contractor’s commitment to provide technical support and training to the users of the facility especially members of the Estates and Works Department, who will be in charge of the maintenance of the facility. He finally thanked the Management of Makerere University for awarding his company the contract and guaranteed their availability in future construction projects at the university.
Representing the Principal, College of Health Sciences, The Dean, School of Medicine Dr. Stephen Kijjambu, thanked the Architects, Contractors and Consultants for a job well done. He appreciated the loads of new space provided by the building, especially provisions for the persons with disabilities, which showed Makerere’s commitment to cater all categories of future students. He appreciated the timely completion of the building, which will enable the University to train more students so as to improve on the ratio of Pharmacists to the population. He paid tribute to the Pharmacists, who regularly and consistently gave back to their Department and hoped that with the new building, this lead to the eventual launching of a School of Pharmacy.
In his remarks, the University Secretary Mr. Kahundha Muhwezi thanked the team from the College of Health Sciences who diligently worked with the contractor throughout the project. He thanked the DANIDA for the great honor accorded to Makerere through the College of Health Science in helping reduce the disease burden by facilitating the training of more Pharmacists to meet the National demand for these critical professionals. He hoped that the completion of such projects would foster Inter-University collaboration between Danish and Ugandan universities, especially regarding the student exchange programmes.
On behalf of Makerere University, the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Baryamureeba expressed his heartfelt appreciation to DANIDA for the grant of Danish Kroner (DKK) 15million approx. $2.5million (UGX 5billion) to establish a new School of Pharmacy under the College of Health Sciences. He admitted that through increased enrolment, Makerere should be able to train more Pharmacists so as to improve on the current unfavorable ratio of Pharmacists per population of 1:100,000.
He then expressed his gratitude to the Royal Danish Government, The Royal Danish Embassy in Uganda and the Danish people for their continued support to the Country and to Makerere University in particular. Furthermore, he prayed that such collaborations would extend to other sectors of Medicine so as to yield more facilities and output other Medical professionals, who also have an equally appalling ratio per population.
Eng. Arfat then officially handed over the keys to the Vice-Chancellor, who then handed over to Mr. Muhwezi the University Secretary. The University Secretary then handed over to Mr. Masanso, Acting Manager, Estates and Works Department, who proceeded to hand over to the Representative of the Principal and Head, School of Medicine Dr. Kijjambu, who finally handed over to Prof. Richard Odoi Adome, Dean, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Science.
In concluding remarks, Prof. Adome thanked DANIDA ; represented by Mr. Frans Bosman, Pharmaceutical Sector Advisor and Mr. Claes Blooms for the timely grant, which fulfilled the urgent need to expand Departmental space of 350 square meters, housing 120 students over the four-year programme. He thanked the Management of the University for helping secure the land, despite its geographical site outside the current College of Health Sciences location in Mulago. He pledged that with the new facility now in place, the Department’s dream of achieving School status had been greatly enhanced.
M/S Arab Contractors has previously carried out construction projects in Makerere, like the recently opened Faculty of Technology Extension building . The newly handed-over facility will host 325 students and 50 members of staff. The grant used to establish the new School of Pharmacy building is part of the Royal Danish Government assistance to Uganda’s Health Sector Support Phase III through DANIDA.
General
Are We Giving Enough Attention to the People Around Us Who Quietly Influence Lives Every Day?
By Marion Apio
On March 21, 2026, I felt a strong urge to reconnect with a close colleague and passionate leader, Owekitinisa Sylas Ruhweza Atwooki. We had not spoken since I moved to the United States to pursue my dream of becoming a journalist. The following day, I learned that he had been quietly undergoing treatment in and out of the hospital. True to his character, he had chosen to keep his condition private. I was shocked and saddened, wishing I had known earlier so I could offer support.
At first, reports from family and friends were encouraging. He had been diagnosed with malaria and low blood platelet counts and was receiving treatment. Respecting his wish for confidentiality, members of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni community at Makerere University rallied discreetly around him.
However, on April 29, his condition worsened. He was transferred between medical facilities and underwent extensive tests, including a biopsy, as doctors searched for answers. Sadly, on May 29, Sylas passed away.
His death sparked an extraordinary outpouring of love and solidarity. Friends, colleagues, and former scholars mobilised to support his family, settle medical expenses, organise virtual vigils, and plan a dignified farewell. Hundreds gathered at St. Augustine Chapel to pay their respects. Within three days, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni community raised approximately UGX 11 million, a testament to Sylas’ impact on countless lives.
In the days that followed, I found myself wrestling with difficult questions. In a world where we spend so much time following people online, are we paying enough attention to those quietly transforming lives around us? Why do we invest so much emotional energy in distant personalities while overlooking the people God has placed right in front of us?
Sylas lived with humility and served with grace. His death left more than 1,500 Mastercard Foundation scholars and alumni grieving, alongside many others around the world who knew him. Yet his passing also exposed a contradiction in modern life.
We live in an age of unprecedented connectivity. Uganda has millions of internet users and WhatsApp subscribers, while globally, people spend hours each day on social media. We have more tools than ever to stay connected, yet many of us are becoming increasingly disconnected from the people who matter most.
Sylas resisted this trend. Through mentorship, service, and community-building, he remained deeply present in others’ lives. While many people retreat into individual pursuits, he consistently chose connection.
This challenge is especially relevant for Mastercard Foundation scholars and alumni. Every year, young Africans leave home to pursue education and professional opportunities abroad. Distance, time zones, visa restrictions, and rising travel costs make it difficult to maintain relationships and remain actively involved in the communities that helped shape us.
For Sylas, the answer was simple: show up. Celebrate others. Offer support. Stay connected.
He never allowed geographical or personal barriers to become excuses for disengagement. Even while facing his own struggles, he invested in others. He embodied the values the Mastercard Foundation seeks to cultivate—ethical leadership, service, and community empowerment.
Sylas did not wait for a perfect platform to create change. He simply served where he was. He helped build bridges between education, culture, and professional development while remaining grounded in his values. He dreamed of creating a stronger alumni ecosystem and brought both passion and compassion to every initiative he touched.
Since his passing, social media has been filled with memories of his infectious smile and unwavering commitment to others. Those tributes reveal an important truth: people gave generously because Sylas had first given himself generously to them. People from different backgrounds, generations, and communities showed up because he had spent his life showing up for them. His legacy now challenges all of us.
The greatest tribute we can offer is not simply to mourn his loss but to continue his work. That means supporting the causes he cared about, helping the children whose education he championed, strengthening alumni networks, and pursuing the dreams we discussed with him.
The tragedy of modern life is not that we follow people online. It is that too often our attention to distant lives comes at the expense of meaningful relationships nearby. Yet strong relationships are as essential to our well-being as physical health.
As Ugandans, we take pride in our faith, culture, and sense of community. We contribute to fundraisers, attend ceremonies, and support family members in times of need. But increasingly, genuine connection is being replaced by passive digital interaction. Families and communities cannot thrive on likes, retweets, and emojis alone.
They require presence—phone calls, visits, conversations, and the willingness to notice when someone is struggling.
Before spending another hour immersed in the lives of strangers online, look around. Call the friend you have not spoken to in years. Check on a family member. Reach out to a colleague who seems withdrawn. Communities are not built by algorithms or celebrities. They are built by ordinary people who choose, day after day, to care for those within their reach.
Uganda needs more people like Sylas. At just 32 years old, he achieved what many spend a lifetime striving for. He served as Minister of Information in the Toro Kingdom and as President of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Alumni Association in Uganda. More importantly, he dedicated himself to serving others.
While his death is deeply painful, his life remains a powerful example of how we should live. My prayers and condolences go to his family, friends, and the entire Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni community.
Rest in perfect peace, Owek. Sylas Ruhweza Atwooki.
The author is a Mastercard Foundation Alumna from Makerere University and the University of California, Berkeley. She is a journalist based in Southern California and the CEO of the Debunk Media Initiative.
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