General
Mak wins sub-Saharan Africa Ebola Grand Challenge Design Award
The ResilientAfrica Network (RAN) and School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences (CHS), Makerere University are set to design the next generation ergonomic tent to support humanitarian service delivery.
RAN’s (www.ranlab.org) proposed solution is a redesigned Ebola treatment tent that aims to substantially change the working environment for health care workers through its ergonomic design which allows for a significant increase in airflow and decrease in ambient temperatures in hot climatic conditions.
Prof. William Bazeyo and Dr. Roy William Mayega from School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences (CHS), will lead a team of students and faculty teamed up with those from the College of Engineering, Design Art and Technology (CEDAT) to design the next generation tent to support humanitarian service delivery. The redesigned tent keeps the favorable features of current designs (simplicity, cheapness and structural safety) while re-imagining and re-engineering the mechanisms for heat and air exchange within, through integration of a convectional currents mechanism and porous walls. The change in ambient environment will have three major advantages over the current ones namely; improved patient management by reducing the heat stress faced by healthcare workers wearing heavy PPE materials, improved comfort for the patients and amenability to ‘plug-in’ accessories to support human-led service delivery, or “portable hospitals.”
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched Fighting Ebola: A Grand Challenge for Development in partnership with the White House Office of Science and Technology, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Defense to help health care workers provide better care and contain this devastating virus.In just two months, innovators from around the world submitted over 1,500 ideas focused on helping frontline health care workers to provide better, more timely care and to contain this devastating virus. Through a collaborative and rigorous expert review, the Fighting Ebola Grand Challenge Team has identified a dozen additional innovations that address existing gaps in the current Ebola response. In all a total of 15 innovations have been nominated for award to date.
These innovations can be employed rapidly to address the current Ebola response and better prepare for future outbreaks. The award nominees can be classified in several categories: 1) cutting edge tools for advanced patient care; 2) reimagining the health care setting to enhance care, increase access, and improve worker safety; 3) improving the safety of health care workers: suits and protective layers; 4) improving the safety of health care workers: decontaminates; 5) changing behaviour to eliminate Ebola; and 6) information communication technology solutions.
The primary objective is to get improved solutions into the field as quickly as possible. To ensure that this happens, the Fighting Ebola Grand Challenge Team is working to put in place clear and rigorous pathways to rapidly test and deploy the best ideas.
Frontline healthcare workers involved in management of suspected and confirmed Ebola cases in humid sub-tropical, tropical, and equatorial climates work under very stressful conditions characterized by extreme heat and humidity predisposing them to heat stress and its associated complications. These extreme environmental conditions also affect quality of care for patients. Health care workers cannot spend more than a couple of hours dressed in the full-body Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) because of the extreme heat and discomfort. This lessens patient care contact time yet much of the treatment for Ebola should be supportive. The frequent but short work-rest schedules put them at risk of infection. This is because they are more likely to make procedural errors as they move back and forth into contaminated and non-contaminated zones. Patients too have to endure the same conditions. The extremely hot environment in their isolation wards exacerbates their risk of electrolyte imbalances due to excessive perspiration, yet Ebola patients are already at a higher risk of physiological and bio-chemical imbalances. Countries affected by Ebola are located in sub-Saharan Africa along the Equator, with very hot and humid climates.
Please follow the links below for additional information;
http://www.ebolagrandchallenge.net/reimagined-ebola-treatment-units
“Solutions through Innovation”
Article by Harriet Adong, ResilientAfrica Network
In a vibrant celebration of youth leadership and African unity, Makerere University hosted the Second Annual Guild Leaders’ Summit, an event that brought together high-profile dignitaries, student leaders, and international partners for a powerful dialogue on the future of the continent. The summit, organized by the Guild Presidents Leadership Academy, served as a rallying point for East Africa’s young leaders to confront Africa’s most urgent challenges—on their own terms and with their own solutions.
A Warm Welcome and Reflections on Makerere’s Legacy
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, welcomed the distinguished guests, who included Former President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Uganda’s Vice President H.E. Jessica Alupo, former Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Ruhakana Rugunda, Justice Simon Byabakama, Hon. Mathew Rukikaire, and European Union Deputy Ambassador Mr. Guillaume Chartrain, among others.
In his address, Prof. Nawangwe reflected on Makerere’s deep historical ties to East Africa’s liberation and development movements. He reminded the audience that Makerere University has been a crucible for the continent’s leadership, stating:
“Jomo Kenyatta was the first person to receive a degree from Makerere when, in 1963, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by then Chancellor Julius Nyerere. All freedom fighters in East Africa studied at Makerere.”
Building on this rich history, Prof. Nawangwe affirmed the university’s current mission to tackle pressing continental issues. “Today,” he said, “Makerere is committed to addressing Africa’s challenges—climate change, disease, poverty, food security, conflict resolution, and economic development. But we cannot do this alone.”
He echoed sentiments later shared by the keynote speaker, stressing that Africa must no longer depend on external interventions:
“Foreign agencies will not solve all Africa’s problems. It is our young people who must step forward and lead the change.”
Uhuru Kenyatta: “You Are the Last Line of Defence”
In a keynote address that resonated deeply with the students and delegates in attendance, Former President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a bold and urgent call to action for Africa’s youth.
“No one is coming to save us,” Kenyatta declared. “You are the last line of defence in the battle to rescue the heart and soul of Africa.”
Positioning today’s youth as the heirs of the continent’s freedom fighters, Kenyatta described the current moment as a new “independence era”—not of political liberation, but of economic and intellectual sovereignty. He urged students to think critically about intra-African trade, which currently accounts for less than 2.5% of global commerce, and to advocate for the removal of internal barriers to trade, innovation, and mobility.
“You are the freedom fighters of this generation,” he said. “Universities must be incubators of change, and students must be the trustees of tomorrow’s Africa.”
Pan-Africanism, Leadership, and Action
Uganda’s Vice President H.E. Jessica Alupo encouraged students to take up the mantle of Pan-Africanism with unwavering commitment. She acknowledged that while the rhetoric of African unity is inspiring, real progress demands more than words:
“You must embrace the spirit of Pan-Africanism. But it is easy to say these words—the challenge lies in collective implementation.”
She emphasized the importance of action-oriented leadership and urged the youth to harness their creativity, energy, and education for the benefit of the continent.
European Union’s Message: Leadership with Integrity
Representing Team Europe, the EU Deputy Ambassador to Uganda, Mr. Guillaume Chartrain, gave a passionate speech on the values of authentic leadership, integrity, and inclusive development. He praised Makerere University as a space where “intellectual ambition meets civic responsibility” and emphasized that leadership is not about prestige, but purpose:
“Be a leader because of what you want to be—not because of what you want to have,” he said.
Citing former Makerere alumni such as Julius Nyerere and Wangari Maathai, Chartrain called on students to model courage, resilience, and humility:
“True leadership emerges in moments of loss—when resilience, not triumph, becomes the measure of one’s character.”
The EU, he said, remains committed to supporting youth through programs like Erasmus+, the EU Youth Sounding Board, and partnerships with organizations like Faraja Africa Foundation and Restless Development. These initiatives empower youth not as symbols, but as active participants in shaping policy and governance.
The Legacy Continues
Throughout the summit, speakers highlighted the importance of legacy and long-term impact. They challenged young leaders to think not just about the present, but about the systems and institutions they will leave behind. In the words of Former President Kenyatta:
“Leadership is not about the next election. It’s about the next generation.”
The summit ended on a high note, with students invigorated and inspired to lead with purpose. As global support grows less predictable and Africa stands at a crossroads, the message from Makerere was clear: the future of the continent is in the hands of its youth. And as the Guild Leaders’ Summit demonstrated, they are ready.
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