On Monday, 25th March 2019, over 100 guests gathered at the College of Health Sciences Gardens in Mulago to celebrate the 30 years of collaboration between Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU).

Led by the President, HE. Barbara R. Snyder, the visitors from Case Western Reserve University started the celebrations by visiting the office of the Vice Chancellor Makerere University where they held a brief meeting with Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, College Principals and other University Administrators.

Expressing her gratitude towards Makerere University, HE. Barbara R. Snyder revealed that the 30 years of collaboration are a sign of good relationship between the two Universities and that Makerere University is doing good work in and outside of Uganda and for the good services provided by the University, Case Western Reserve University has a lot of pride in their collaboration with Makerere.

“Our collaboration with Makerere University is growing very fast and its fruits can be seen by the good results it produces,” said HE. Barbara R. Snyder.

The Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe noted that Case Western Reserve University is a friend indeed as it came in at the right time when Uganda needed help from people with more knowledge about HIV/AIDS.

“In 1989, Uganda had been hit by one of the world’s leading killer diseases which is HIV/AIDS and by that time, no Ugandan had full knowledge about the fast killing disease and many families lost their loved ones, not until Case Western Reserve University came in to give Uganda a helping hand. You came to Uganda at a time of need, thank you” echoed Prof. Nawangwe.

He noted that MakCHS is playing a big role by being Uganda’s leading Health College as it is addressing real National concerns by providing real solutions to the country’s health problems, “and Makerere being a leading University has a major responsibility of moving Uganda to another level of good performance in all aspects.”

According to the Principal MakCHS Prof. Charles Ibingira, the college started in 1924 as a medical school which was later turned into Faculty of Medicine until 2008 when it was transformed into a College with five schools. These are;

•    Makerere University School of Biomedical Sciences
•    Makerere University School of Health Sciences
•    Makerere University School of Medicine
•    Makerere University School of Public Health
•    Makerere University School of Dentistry

He also noted that with the vision of beginning a leading and transformational institution for academic excellence and innovation in Health Sciences, the college was recently ranked Africa’s 2nd leading College of Health Sciences and is now aiming at the 1st position. This he attributed to the many collaborations attracted some of which are with Uganda Heart Institute, Uganda Cancer Institute among others.

Prof. Ibingira thanked the President of Case Western Reserve University for working hard with MakCHS to ensure that all programs run smoothly and successfully through her continuous follow-ups and hoped even for more collaboration.

Among the presenters were the Deans of the different Schools of the college. Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze, the Dean School of Public Health (MakSPH) and only female Dean at MakCHS noted that the School’s training includes field placements and hands-on projects integrated into all graduate programs.

She added that the School works hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Health and thanked Case Western Reserve University for training 8 MakSPH staff at both Masters and PhD levels.

The Dean School of Medicine, Prof. Moses R. Kamya, thanked H.E Snyder for maintaining Case Western Reserve University’s partnership with Makerere University and College of Health Sciences in particular and requested that the partnership should extend to the entire Makerere University as well.

Addressing the guests, the Director Makerere University Health Services Prof. Josaphat Byamugisha indicated that MakCHS is keen to develop a University teaching hospital and called for more collaborations to help purchase equipment.

He thanked the University Management for being supportive to the college and expressed his sincere gratitude to them.

“We hold with high regard the research collaboration that we have had for thirty years now as it has synthesized solutions to a number of world problems at large, hence contributing to the wellbeing of our population especially the dedication to the HIV/AIDS pandemic,” concluded Mr. Byamugisha Joseph, College President and Fourth Year student of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery.

Article by Rachael Kanyi, Volunteer, Mak Public Relations Office