General
WHO-AGISAR Uganda Pilot Project Launched
Makerere to take lead in National Integrated Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance
Makerere University is to take lead in the implementation of an Integrated Surveillance of Antimicrobial resistance in Uganda. Uganda was selected by the World Health Organization (WHO) Advisory Group on Integrated Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance (AGISAR) to implement the two-year project entitled “movement pathways of antimicrobial agents and occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in humans, food producing animals and retail foods in Uganda”. The College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-security (CoVAB) will be at the forefront in the implementation of the project.
Speaking at the launch of the project on 17th March 2015 at Imperial Royale Hotel Kampala, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, Dr. Ernest Okello-Ogwang hailed scientists from CoVAB for having won several competitive grants at national, regional and international level in the recent past. This particular project under WHO-AGISAR was written by Prof. Francis Ejobi, the Head of Department; Bio security, Ecosystems and Veterinary Public Health (BEP), resulting into Uganda being chosen by WHO-AGISAR to implement it. Dr. Okello Ogwang congratulated Prof. Ejobi for winning the competitive grant adding that it will go a long way in strengthening laboratory capacity at Makerere University in terms of conducting research that will guide policy making in the country.
Anti-microbial resistance occurs when an antibiotic loses its ability to effectively control or kill bacterial growth; meaning that bacteria become 'resistant' and continue to multiply even when antibiotics have been applied either in humans or animals. The current high levels of antimicrobial resistance are attributed to overuse and misuse of antibiotics.
According to Dr. Awa Aidara-Kane who represented WHO at the launch, Antimicrobial Resistance is a global problem that requires a global approach due to extensive movement of people, animal and food around the world. She said that global surveillance and reliable data that can help to track this problem are necessary.
“This project is very important because we lack data from developing countries that can inform policy. We therefore need a multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary approach generated from different stakeholders against antimicrobial resistance. That is why WHO is giving seed money to Uganda and our wish is that work in this area will continue even after the 2 years come to an end. This pilot project must raise awareness through evidence-based data so that the government will feel the need to tackle this problem more systematically,” Dr. Aidara-Kane emphasized.
The Deputy Principal CoVAB, Dr. Jesca Nakavuma was happy to note that the project will contribute to capacity building at CoVAB. She urged the scientists on the project not to neglect the existing but scattered data on antimicrobial resistance in Uganda. She said that gathering this data and compiling a single detailed report will contribute to the findings of the project.
Prof. Ejobi, noted that data collection is going to be a huge component of the project tasks.
“We shall generate data which shows the burden that Uganda is facing as a result of antimicrobial resistance so as to avail scientific evidence backing the need to contain this problem." Prof. Ejobi stressed, adding that his team will work hand-in-hand with the media to create awareness about the issue of antimicrobial resistance.
“We shall then hold a bigger workshop for all stakeholders and policy makers where we shall reveal the findings at the end of our 2-year period,” Prof. Ejobi said.
Prof. Paula Cray, a North Carolina State University-based specialist in population health and pathobiology will work closely with Prof. Ejobi and his team at CoVAB. She is the lead technical advisor on the project that is expected to be carried out in selected areas in Uganda and will involve the collection of samples from cattle, broiler chicken and children as well as meat products from supermarkets and butcheries.
It is hoped that through this project, inter-sectoral collaborations shall be strengthened and that awareness about the dangers of antimicrobial resistance shall be raised amongst the government. This may then ultimately put Uganda in a more informed position to develop a national program on integrated surveillance for resistance.
WHO has since 2011 been funding pilot projects of this nature across the world. In Africa, similar projects were conducted in Senegal, Burkina Faso, Kenya and now Uganda. Dr. Aidara-Kane expressed optimism that the project in Uganda will be as successful as the ones that have been conducted in other African countries.
Key stakeholders present at the launch were National Drug Authority (NDA), Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries (MAAIF), Uganda Veterinary Association (UVA), AFRISA, National Council for Science and Technology (NCST), One Health Central and Eastern Africa (OHCEA) and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).
Representatives from the various organizations present were in agreement that their organizations had a role to play in the successful implementation of this project in Uganda. Dr. Aidara-Kane advised the stakeholders to work together and consider forming a national inter-sectoral taskforce against anti-microbial resistance, as was the case in Kenya.
Also present at the launch were Prof. John Opuda-Asibo, the Executive Director of National Council for Higher Education (NCHE). He gave the keynote address on anti-microbial resistance as an emerging threat to human and animal healthcare in the 21st Century. Dr. Patrick Bastiaensen, the Program Officer of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) East African sub-region was also present. He noted that lack of legislation against misuse of drugs in developing countries has played a big role in the rise of antimicrobial resistance.
Article by Jovia Musubika, CoVAB
Business & Management
PIM Centre Holds 9th Steering Committee Meeting, Set to Benefit from World Bank Support
The Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University today, October 10th, 2025, held its 9th Steering Committee Meeting to review progress made in the first quarter of the financial year and plan for the months ahead.
The meeting was chaired by Ms. Getrude Basiima, who represented Mr. Hannington Ashaba, Director Budget at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Ms. Basiima commended the Centre for its continued commitment to strengthening public investment management capacity across government institutions.
In her remarks, Ms. Basiima applauded the Centre for successfully hosting the Public Investment Management Conference held in August at Makerere University. The conference attracted key policymakers, development partners, and academics who deliberated on how to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and impact of public investments in Uganda.
She further shared exciting news that the Government of Uganda has secured funding from the World Bank to support the public investment management function. The PIM Centre, she announced, will be among the key beneficiaries of these funds — receiving support for the construction and acquisition of a permanent home to enhance its institutional sustainability and training capacity.
Reviewing the Centre’s quarterly performance, Ms. Basiima congratulated the team for successfully conducting three specialized trainings in the first quarter, reaching officials from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. These trainings continue to strengthen the technical competencies required for effective project preparation, appraisal, and implementation in line with Uganda’s National Development Plan.
She encouraged the Centre to integrate climate change considerations into its future training programmes, noting that sustainable public investment must now account for environmental resilience and climate adaptation.
The centre team presented the proposed structure/ organogram, the financial performance of 2024/2025, research areas for 2025/2026 and the strategic plan for 2025 – 2030.
The Steering Committee reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the PIM Centre’s vision of becoming a regional leader in building capacity for efficient, transparent, and sustainable public investment management.
A significant development unfolded at Makerere University during a strategic, hour-long meeting in the vice chancellor’s boardroom on 7th October 2025, marking a deepening bond with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. The primary goal was to move beyond existing collaborations and formalize a new Double Doctorate (PhD) program. Prof. Sarah Saali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, set the tone by emphasizing that institutional partnerships are crucial to Makerere University, which she proudly called the leading research and most collaborative university in the world.
The discussion promptly formed the core structure of the program: a four-year PhD (or three if the master’s was research-based), with supervision duties split 50-50% between the two institutions. A key feature is the mobility requirement, stipulating that PhD candidates would spend a total of six months in the Netherlands, potentially divided into two three-month periods. Crucially, the University of Groningen confirmed there would be no teaching requirement during this stay, allowing students full access to focus on their research. A major financial hurdle was overcome with the adoption of a fee-waiver policy; Makerere would waive tuition for incoming Groningen candidates, and Groningen would reciprocate for Makerere‘s students, significantly boosting the program’s financial viability.
However, the critical issue of the stipend remained. Dr. Anita Veltmaat explained that to meet the required living standard of approximately €1,875 per month in Groningen, the incoming candidate must secure a partial external scholarship of around €250 per month. The positive news is that if the candidate secures this minimum scholarship, the University of Groningen is prepared to top up the amount to the full living standard for the six months the student spends in the Netherlands. It was noted that this initial financial hurdle might be simplified for Makerere students, as many are already staff members receiving a salary, which could help cover the required €250.
The path forward was clear: it was to complete the agreement template guided by the setup committee from both institutions. The plan culminated in scheduling an online follow-up meeting for Tuesday, November 11th, to review the first revision of the agreement, capping a highly constructive discussion that solidified the two universities’ shared future in graduate education.
Makerere University was represented by Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academics Affairs; Dr. Ruth Nsibirano, Head of the Department of Gender Studies; Dr. Patricia Ndugga, School of Statistics; Dr. Stella Achen and Dr. Joseph Watuleke, School of Distance and Lifelong Learning; Agatha Ainemukama, School of Engineering; Racheal Nuwagaba, School of Psychology; Awel Uwihanganye, Martine Rugamba, and Hawa Ndagire from the Advancement Office; and Muhammad Kiggundu from the Institute of Gender and Development Studies.
The University of Groningen was represented by Dr. Dinie Bouwman, Senior Policy Advisor, Internationalization and Quality Assurance; Dr. Anita Veltmaat, Faculty of Social Behavior and Social Sciences, Department of International Studies, involved in mentorship programs for women; and Dr. Alette Arendshorst, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, working on graduation/collaboration for students/staff.
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