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BD and Fleming Fund Collaboration to Help Combat Threat of AMR in Asia and sub-Sahara

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Uganda has received three pioneering laboratory machines to speed up the process of testing and treating patients for bacterial infections as part of the Fleming Fund Country Grant, which is aimed at helping low and middle income countries tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The machines automate part of the laboratory tests that identify the bacteria causing a patient’s infection and can deliver results to doctors up to 18 hours quicker, saving critical time in the diagnosis of life-threatening conditions.

One of the machines, a mass spectrometer MALDI-TOF, is the first of its kind in Uganda and identifies bacteria in just two minutes, compared with 18-48 hours for conventional testing.

The aim is to improve the surveillance of AMR and generate relevant data that is shared nationally and globally. The £265M programme was set up to address critical gaps in surveillance of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in low and middle-income countries. This is the first major award under the new UK cross government overseas development assistance strategy, contracted through the UK Department of Health and Social Care.

The Lead Grantee is the Infectious Disease Institute and sub-grantees including Department of Medical Microbiology, Pharmacy Department, and the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity at Makerere University; and Department of Medical Microbiology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology. The project, which commenced in October 2018, had an award value of £1,798,971 and focused on strengthening national coordination structures and initiating antimicrobial resistance surveillance using a One Health approach.

The One Health, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, recognizes that the health of people is connected to the health of animals and the environment. It is collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach — working at the local, regional, national, and global levels — with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes.

The Infectious Disease Institute in Makerere University, is helping to facilitate the training, in collaboration with medical equipment supplier BD. IDI is also supporting the development of a national AMR surveillance strategy, a One Health national governance structure and equipment delivery in animal health laboratories.

The equipment includes a BD Phoenix M50 for antimicrobial susceptibility testing and the BACTEC FX40, for automated blood culture which will be strategically positioned at Uganda’s national reference laboratories for human and animal health.

The launch of the Fleming Fund Country Grant in Africa’s partnership with BD took place on the 17th of February 2020 at Serena Hotel Kampala and attracted both local and international distinguished guests from as far as Sri Lanka and India.

“Up until now, treatment in Uganda has been based on symptoms, rather than based on laboratory testing or findings. This often results in misdiagnosis and can increase the risk of drug resistance if patients aren’t administered the correct medicines,” said Clinical Microbiologist for the Fleming Fund’s Management Agent, Mott MacDonald, Emmanuel Azore, who hopes the new machines will mitigate AMR.

“The new partnership between Fleming Fund and BD will bring much needed quality diagnostics for antimicrobial resistance to human health and animal health laboratories. I have no doubt that these will have a direct positive impact on clinical care and generate much needed surveillance data to inform policy and practice,” says Dr Mohamed Larmode, the head of department Global Health Security Programme at the Infectious Diseases Institute.                

Article by Tracy Ahumuza, Corporate Communications Specialist, Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI)

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Makerere University Students’ Internship Evaluation

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An older photo of the Main Building, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda as seen from across the Freedom Square. Date taken: 22nd October 2012.

To all Makerere Students Undertaking Internship 2024

I hope you are well. As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we invite you to participate in the evaluation of your internship experience at Makerere University. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us enhance the quality of our internship programs.

Purpose of Data Collection: The purpose of this evaluation is to monitor the effectiveness of the internship process within Makerere University. By collecting data on your experiences, we aim to identify areas for improvement and make informed decisions to enhance the overall internship structures and processes.

Confidentiality and Privacy: Rest assured that your responses will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. No personal information will be shared with anyone other than the Quality Assurance (QAD) Team. Only aggregate results will be disseminated to the University and colleges for the purpose of program enhancement.

Your Voice Matters: We encourage you to provide candid feedback. Your insights will help shape the future of internships at Makerere University. Feel free to express yourself openly, especially in the final open-ended questions. Describe your experiences, challenges, and any changes you encountered during your internship journey.

How to Participate: Complete the questions below this information sheet. 

Your participation is crucial, and we appreciate your contribution to improving the internship program. Thank you for being an active part of our community and for helping us create a positive impact.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out to the QAD Team at info.qad@mak.ac.ug , director.qad@mak.ac.ug, stephen.mpirirwe@mak.ac.ug, Phone: 0788961314 or  0776499859.

Best regards,

Dr. Cyprian Misinde,
DIRECTOR OF QUALITY ASSURANCE

Click here to evaluate your internship experience

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Call for Applications: Third U.S.-Africa Frontiers Symposium

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Call for Applications: Third U.S.-Africa Frontiers Symposium Kigali, Rwanda, February 18-20, 2025. Photo: Courtesy.

The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is pleased to announce the 3rd U.S.-Africa Frontiers of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Symposium in partnership with and hosted by the Republic of Rwanda. The upcoming meeting will be held on February 18-20, 2025 in Kigali, Rwanda. The application is now open for scientists, engineers, and medical professionals from the United States and African Union member countries to submit their application online before the deadline of July 7, 2024, 11:59 PM ET (Washington D.C. time).

This program brings together outstanding early/mid-career scientists, engineers, and medical professionals (within 15 years of most recent degree), from the United States and the member countries of the African Union for a series of symposia to discuss exciting advances and opportunities in their fields. The goal of these meetings is to enhance scientific exchange and dialogue among early-to-middle career researchers in African countries and the United States, including the African science diaspora, and through this interaction facilitate research collaboration within and beyond the region. Another unique aspect of the Frontiers events is the pluri-disciplinarity of the participants’ backgrounds and research interests.

One of the main objectives of this Frontiers symposium is to advance our understanding of cutting-edge S&T trends in the U.S. and Africa and to foster dialogue and collaborations across disciplines. The upcoming symposium will address the following topics:

  • Session I: New Solutions for Decarbonization
  • Session II: Biotechnology
  • Session III: Precision Agriculture
  • Session IV: Advances in Space Research
  • Session V: Smart and Connected Cities

We encourage early-career scientists, engineers and medical professionals working on related research to apply to this multidisciplinary meeting, as long as they fulfill the eligibility criteria. Each general participant will also have the opportunity to present their research during poster sessions. Travel of selected participants will be covered. More details on the symposium, organization, and program can be found on the symposium webpage.

Please submit your application online by 11:59 PM ET on July 7, 2024. For more information on the U.S.-Africa Frontiers Program, please visit our program website. Please email USAfricaSTEM@nas.edu with any questions.

APPLY BY JULY 7

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Call for scholarship applications for PhDs and MSc positions in the framework of the Intra Africa Homegrown Clean Energy Project

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Some of the CAES PhD graduates with the Chair of the University Ceremonies Committee, also member of staff at the College, Prof. Jackie Bonabana (Right). 74th Graduation Ceremony, Day 2, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), 30th January 2024, Freedom Square, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Homegrown Clean Energy Project:

Mobility for Clean Energy Solutions to promote energy independence and environmental well-being through collaboration and innovation, addressing climate challenges across Africa.

Background:

Africa, a continent brimming with potential, faces a critical challenge: ensuring energy access and tackling climate change. Over 50% of its population lacks electricity, and relying on unsustainable practices threatens their health and the environment. Yet, Africa possesses a wealth of untapped renewable resources – a golden key to unlocking a brighter future.
The Homegrown Clean Energy (HCE) Solutions Project steps in to address these challenges with a vision driven by African ingenuity. We are empowering universities, the private sector, and local communities to develop clean energy solutions tailored to their specific needs.

The objectives of Homegrown Clean Energy:

  • Promote the development of Homegrown Clean Energy (HCE) solutions for underrepresented communities.
  • Facilitate knowledge sharing and technology transfer among participating institutions.
  • Enhance entrepreneurship skills in clean energy solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation in Africa.
  • Promote gender equality and social inclusion in clean energy solutions.

Participating Institutions:

  • Federal University of Technology Minna (FUTMIN), Nigeria
  • Makerere University, Uganda
  • University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Benin
  • Uganda Martyrs University (UMU), Uganda
  • University of Nigeria (UNN), Nigeria
  • University of Zimbabwe (UoZ)

Application Documents:

  1. Filled Application Form
  2. CV
  3. A three-page proposal document

See Downloads for detailed application.

How to Apply for the Scholarship:

To apply: click here to apply: Masters https://bit.ly/HCE_MScApply
To apply: click here to apply: PhD https://bit.ly/HCE_PhDApply

Application Deadline

The deadline for the application is 27th July 2024 by Midnight GMT +1. Results will be announced on September 3, 2024

Contact Details

For further enquiries or guidance required kindly contact the following.

  • FUT Minna – Caroline Alenoghena; carol@futminna.edu.ng +234 8035015984
  • UNN- Cynthia Nwobodo; cynthia.nwobodo@unn.edu.ng +234 803 946 2574
  • MAK– Grace Nakabonge; grace.nakabonge@mak.ac.ug +256 782356607
  • UMU- Dr Robinah S. Nakabo; rnakabo@umu.ac.ug +256 776 802981
  • UAC- Michel Dossou; michel.dossou@uac.bj +229 97 54 27 44
  • UoZ- Dr Blessing Magonziwa; blessing.magonziwa21@alumni.colostate.edu. +263 775990146

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