Greetings from the Infectious Diseases Institute-IDI McKinnell Knowledge Centre at Makerere University Main Campus!
I would like to highlight the evolution of our work, from the vantage point of having been at the Institute since its inception. In nearly two decades, our fundamental mandate of freeing Africa from the burden of IDs has not really changed. However, to maintain relevance to societal needs, particularly here in Uganda, IDI has proactively embraced a strategic shift in the disease areas of focus.
As we envisaged achieving epidemic control of HIV (based on encouraging data from well-conducted surveys), we elected to embark on newer areas of contribution. That is why we created the Global Health Security (GHS) Programme to prevent, detect and respond to diseases like Ebola, and the rising tide of antimicrobial resistance. Our contribution to the prevention and managing HIV has been immense and undisputed. Yet, the whole
HIV/AIDS experience – in its own right a deadly and devastating experience – may just have been a practice opportunity for more devastating infectious diseases. Adversaries such as like Ebola or SARS or the novelSARS-COV-2, the cause of COVID-19!
With its long incubation period (anywhere between 7 and 11 years), HIV’s can be viewed as an epidemic in slow motion compared to Ebola and now COVID-19, which has an incubation period of just days. Comparatively, HIV allowed up the opportunity to set-up prevention, surveillance and health care delivery systems. I am convinced more than ever that our HIV experience is highly relevant to the COVID-19 response. Led by our Global Health Security Programme, IDI has supported the Government of Uganda since COVID-19 was anticipated. We have done this by enhancing systems at points of entry and are leading efforts to protect healthcare workers through IPC training, provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) and alcoholbased hand rub. I invite you to read our quarterly newsletter to bring you up to speed with our contributions.
Dr. Andrew D. Kambugu, Sande-McKinnell Executive Director, IDI
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