General
Prof. Maria Musoke a solid bridge between Health and Information Sciences
On 27th September 2016, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda Rt. Hon. Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda hailed Prof. Maria Musoke for her tremendous work in bridging the gap between health and information. This was at a high profile launch of Prof. Maria Musoke’s book Informed and Healthy: Theoretical and Applied Perspectives on the Value of Information to Health Care attended by renowned dignitaries, scholars, and academicians who convened in the Makerere University Main Hall. The launch was indeed a befitting celebration of their own; a renowned researcher, academician and mentor.
In a speech read by the Cabinet Minister in Charge of General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut, the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister congratulated Prof. Maria Musoke for adding to a body of knowledge by authoring a book that clearly articulates the great power that is embedded in information.
“This book is very relevant and timely, it is written in the language that does not need deciphering. It highlights the value of information and confirms that indeed information is power,” he said.
The Prime Minister expressed gratitude for being selected by the author to write a foreword to the book when he said, “I am happy to write the Foreword to Dr. Musoke’s book and I pledge to be the one of the key marketers not only in Uganda but in the global village.”
In her own words, Hon. Karooro Okurut observed that whoever has worked with Prof. Maria Musoke can testify to her “Perennial hard work, dedication to duty, and focused and committed leadership,” further adding “she is endowed with a tickling brain which she has put to good use.”
In the same spirit, the Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu applauded Prof. Maria Musoke’s scholarly achievement in coming up with the book; a must-read for students and information professionals, Librarians and Professors of Information Science.
“Prof. Maria Musoke is an information authority in her own right, who made the most of her sabbatical leave to produce this important resource. Her work encourages us to achieve value for time during periods of research and sabbatical,” he said.
Through her book the Informed and Healthy: Theoretical and Applied Perspectives on the Value of Information to Health Care, it is hard to underestimate the academic and scholarly efforts by Prof. Maria G N Musoke, to bridge the gap between health and information among people in the rural areas.
Informed and Healthy: Theoretical and Applied Perspectives on the Value of Information to Health Care is an asset focusing on the value attributed to information by users and its effect on health care. The book also provides a new model of information behavior in which the value of information drives various information activities. According to the author, the book also demonstrates the value of having an informed audience when it comes to health issues.
“The book confirms that when people are informed they are healthy and when the health workers apply the knowledge in their work, there are many benefits to health care. It is a valuable resource for health professionals, planners, and policy makers, as well as researchers interested in health information systems and their applicability in different environments,” said Prof. Musoke.
To the Author, the book uses a case study of the health information system in Uganda and expands the analysis by comparing it to other systems utilized by different countries in diverse levels of development. It demonstrates the fitness of the value model for the phenomenon of information access.
Informed and Healthy: Theoretical and Applied Perspectives on the Value of Information to Health Care was compiled and completed basing on research on women and health workers in four districts of Uganda which included Lira, Mukono, Masaka and Bushenyi. It focuses on the distribution of information pertaining to health among rural people.
"If we have an informed society, the health status must improve… If all Ugandans were informed that we should wash our hands after visiting the toilet, there would be minimum disease spread," she said.
The book is currently on market in the various bookshops in Uganda at UGX 100,000 and can be accessed online at US$ 56.95.
During the launch, two renowned Scholars; Prof. Grace Ndeezi from College of Health Sciences (CHS) and Dr. Joyce Bukirwa Muwanguzi from College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS) added value to the day’s proceedings by authoritatively discussing Prof. Maria Musoke’s Book.
In her discussion Prof. Grace Ndeezi a Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health said that Informed and Healthy: Theoretical and Applied Perspectives on the Value of Information to Health Care is a vital book that addresses a big gap most of other scholars have reluctantly over looked. According to Prof. Ndeezi, the book is very instrumental to information delivery, access, and use of critical information for public health.
“So many diseases and other related health problems can be solved by information. I therefore state that the title of the book is befitting,” she remarked.
In addition, Dr. Joyce Bukirwa Muwanguzi observed that Prof. Musoke’s book portrays a paradigm shift of information. Heralding the book as a great contribution to Information Science as a discipline, Dr. Bukirwa Muwanguzi noted that the publication also affirms Prof. Maria Musoke’s passion for information dissemination. She highlighted the need to translate the book into several languages so as to benefit all the different people in the country. “Since the country is multilingual in nature, there is need to translate such literature for the benefit of all citizens,” she said.
Citing the importance of authors in addressing the several challenges in this country and the world at large through scholarly writings and publications, Lady Justice Prof. Lillian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza said there is a need to improve the policies and laws governing authors and publishers in the country. This, she noted, would encourage more writers to come forth on the scene. She commended Prof. Musoke’s commitment in translating knowledge into practice and examining the value of information and its ability to affect the bottom line of better health.
“I therefore say, if you want to author another book and another, you should focus on the joy and thrills that you meet on your journey as a writer,” she said. The Lady Justice further said that authorship is a mark of academic growth and shared with the audience the challenge to write her own book describing her experience as a female Member of the Makerere University Management.
Introducing the author, the Deputy Principal, College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS), Dr. Agnes Semwanga Rwashana presented Professor Maria G N Musoke as a lady of many firsts. She is and will always be remembered as the first Ugandan woman to get a PhD in Information Science in 2001, which she obtained from the University of Sheffield, UK. She was the first Ugandan woman to become a Professor of Information Science in 2010, the first Librarian from the Sub-Saharan Africa to chair the Health and Bioscience Section on the International Federation of Library Association and Institutions (IFLA), and the first Ugandan woman to head Makerere University Library Services in 2004, a post she held for two terms until December 2014.
Prof. Musoke holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a concurrent Diploma in Education, a Postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Science (LIS) from Makerere University, a Masters degree from University of Wales and a PhD in Information Science.
The guests were treated to a series of entertaining folk compositions by the Department of Performing Arts and Film (PAF), Makerere University, led by their beaming Head, Dr. Sylvia Nannyonga-Tamusuza.
Arrticle by: Mak-Public Relations Office
The Senior Program Director, Higher Education and Research in Africa, International Program, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Prof. Omotade Akin Aina on 23rd May 2025 visited Makerere University during his short trip to Kampala. Prof. Aina was received on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe by Prof. Tony Oyana, Principal of the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS).
During his visit, Prof. Aina met with the Project Implementation Committee, representatives from the Consolidating Early Career Academics Programme (CECAP) phase I Fellowship Cohort, and current Fellows of phase II. The meeting discussed the progress of CECAP II, which focuses on fostering academic development and research among early-career academics.
CECAP II is being implemented by Makerere University in collaboration with four other Ugandan public universities, including; Busitema University, Gulu University, Kyambogo University and Mbarara University of Science and Technology. Prof. Mukadasi Buyinza, the Project Principal Investigator was represented at the meeting by the Director of Graduate Training, Prof. Julius Kikooma.
By Moses Lutaaya
The Directorate of Graduate Training at Makerere University has equipped several Senior ranking lecturers with expert knowledge in a Training of Trainers’ workshop on “Philosophy of Methods”.
In his remarks at the opening of a 3-day training workshop at Level4 Conference Hall – Senate Building, the Director of Graduate Training Prof. Julius Kikooma said, “The teaching of Philosophy of Methods gives all participants the fundamentals to extend knowledge to other learners, hence its importance in upholding the Makerere University values.”
Kikooma urged and challenged the participants to also attend and actively participate in the follow up of learners’ training of students, stating that the PhD students need support as the directorate continues to coordinate the curriculum of PhD by-research that was approved by the senate recently.
“To holistically implement the senate approved PhD curriculum, we are coordinating capacity building trainings of all stake holders in a structured approach with the different units of the University. Many more trainings including Training of Trainers in advanced research methods course are on the way.”
He further urged the participants to be intentional in their teaching profession and in whatever they were doing, adding “Apart from focusing on practices as teachers and researchers, we can engage in wider philosophical debates in our research areas so that we are relevant in the society and in the empowerment of PhD research students.”
The participants for the Philosophy of Methods training were from College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University Business School among others.
During the same training, Dr. Dickson Kanakulya stressed the need to train senior lecturers in the Philosophy of Methods, saying, “The biggest connection is that societal problems require concrete research to find solutions. Our challenge in Africa is that we employ a short barrow approach to find solutions to problems. This cannot work. We need consistent researchers to solve problems. Lasting solutions to societal issues can only be got through training such as Philosophy of Methods, where researchers come up with new models for societal solutions.”
Dr. Kanakulya said that Makerere University remains the biggest research University in Africa and philosophy of Methods helps to come up with good research tools that produce good research outputs. “Research has shown that the higher the number of PhD researchers in any given country, the higher the levels of development of that country e.g. the USA, China etc., adding that research is not limited to only medicinal or agricultural related issues.”
He said philosophy of methods, encourages philosophical creativity in research, “It is meant to bring out philosophical generation of concepts, theories and ideas. It is meant to encourage students to question the existing philosophical assumptions and status quo in a given field of knowledge such that new philosophical concepts are created.”
For successful rollout of government programs like the National Development Plan 4, Dr. Kanakulya said that Philosophy of Methods training needs to be integrated into such systems. “Philosophy of Methods focuses on ethical thinking aspects. For example, for a better rollout of the Parish Development Model, we need implementers to be ethical.” He added.
Prof. Sulait Tumwiine, the associate Dean of Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research at MUBS said, “This is a discussion where new ideas are shared to guide and gauge applicability in the current knowledge diversity coupled with lots of technological development including Artificial Intelligence and Chat GPT.”
He added, “As professors of Universities, we need to understand how we leverage on what comes up so that it does not take our space, but also appreciate how we can support growth of knowledge. The Philosophy of Methods training is the answer.”
Dr. Jim Spire Ssentongo highlighted that Philosophy uses more of the critical mind than Science. He added that philosophy is more of speculation of the mind.
“Sustainability of philosophy Education encourages us to continue training. Philosophy being the oldest discipline retained special status in the academia as a pinnacle of pursuit of knowledge. All disciplines have major elements of philosophy citing examples in the philosophy of Mathematics and Physics.
Dr. Spire added, “If you do not understand philosophy, you cannot deeply investigate anything because philosophy is the reality of understanding everything. Philosophy is the basis of understanding what knowledge is and how it is arrived at.”
Also participating in the workshop was Prof. Joseph Ntaayi from MUBS, in his remarks he said PhD students need the philosophy of methods training to understand how to best to create knowledge. He added that ontological and epistemological questions that lead to good research design methods can only be answered by this training.
Dr. Robert Kakuru, a Lecturer in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences said that the Philosophy of Methods training is needed by every graduate student as well as supervisors to critically determine the choice of methods to use in academic research. For example, “If one wants to use a questionnaire as an interview approach, one should understand, why that approach and yet without this training, the why cannot be answered.” He added.
The Philosophy of Methods training was organized by Directorate of Graduate Training with funding support from the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA).
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