By Nathan Isabirye | Every year health care professionals come together as friends to learn, and to share experiences all over the world in an effort that started a decade ago when the Sixty-third World Health Assembly passed a resolution on Birth Defects in 2010 [WHA63.17 Agenda item 11.7).
This time round, the 9th International Conference on Birth Defects and Disabilities in the Developing World was held in Sri Lanka from 23rd to 26th February 2020 with a theme ‘Accelerating efforts for Birth Defects prevention and care. The conference was deliberated by over 400 leading health care professionals, researchers and representatives from academic, research, government, international development and civil society organizations.
I am a Co–Principal investigator on a March of Dimes funded study project for preconception care. The study aims to explore the current context and feasibility of preconception care service integration in the Ugandan district health system.
Prevalence and etiology of birth defects – experiences from countries
Birth defects (BDs) affect approximately 8 million births annually and account for 11% of neonatal deaths globally. Over 90% of these babies are in low-and middle-income countries. Among those who survive, many experiences lifelong disability. The etiology is largely unknown as 66% causes are multifactorial and unknown. In South -East Asia, major efforts over the past decade have led to a 72% & 62% decline in U5MR & NMR.
The Office of the Academic Registrar, Makerere University has released the admission lists for Bachelor of Laws for the Academic Year 2025/2026.
Please note that the list includes Government Sponsorship for Bachelor of Laws i.e A-Level (Direct Entry), Bachelor of Laws-Day – (LAW) and Bachelor of Laws-Afternoon – (LAA)
Makerere University has received 700 digital tablets from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), aimed at enhancing statistical research, teaching, and data-driven decision-making across the institution.
The donation was made on June 30, 2025, as part of UBOS’ broader initiative to distribute a total of 3,025 tablets to ten government-funded institutions of higher learning. The handover ceremony was attended by Makerere’s Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi and Mr. Simon Kizito, the Deputy University Secretary among other Vice Chancellors and accounting officers.
Vice Chancellors from government-funded institutions of higher learning that received the donation of tablets from UBOS.
Dr. Allen Kabagenyi, a UBOS Board Director, who coordinated the distribution of the tablets to the respective 10 Public universities, underscored the significance of inter-institutional collaboration in fostering a data-literate and innovative generation. “This initiative is a testament to the power of partnerships between public institutions. In a country like Uganda, with one of the youngest populations globally, equipping our future leaders with the right tools is critical to achieving both national and global development goals,” she remarked.
The tablets had initially been procured and deployed during the recently concluded National Population and Housing Census. UBOS Executive Director Dr. Chris Mukiza explained that their redistribution marks the beginning of the Bureau’s post-census utilization strategy.
Dr. Chris Mukiza (L) flanked by his Board Director Dr. Allen Kabagenyi (R) addressing the meeting.
“We acquired 120,000 tablets to conduct the census, and as we committed earlier, we are ensuring that these resources continue to serve the country even after the census,” said Dr. Mukiza. “Our expectation is that these tablets will strengthen data collection, teaching, and research in universities and higher institutions. We want to see a culture where statistics are not only produced but also actively used to influence development outcomes.”
Dr. Mukiza encouraged academic institutions to take full advantage of the extensive data available at UBOS, emphasizing that greater use of statistical resources will translate into more impactful research and policy interventions.
Some of the accounting officers who attended the handover ceremony.
During the same event – cultural institutions also received tablets.
With this donation, Makerere University is well-positioned to further empower students and researchers in statistical analysis, evidence-based planning, and innovation-driven teaching.