Health
Researchers Recommend Drug to Win the Malaria War in Children
“Malaria is a terrible disease. It affects you beyond discharge. Once treated for malaria, you are susceptible to more infections, and the chances for re-admission are very high.”
Uganda’s fight against malaria has received a boost after medical researchers recommended that a wonder drug that has produced positive results in Uganda, Kenya and Malawi be embraced globally.
Results of the study showed that treatment with Dihydroartemisinin–Piperaquine (DP) should now be the preferred treatment for malaria in both children and adults after discharge. The trials in children indicated reduced number of deaths from severe malaria by 80 per cent.
The study-the Malaria Chemoprevention in the Postdischarge management of severe Anemia was carried out over a two-year period at Jinja, Kamuli, Hoima, Masaka and Mubende Regional Referral hospitals and studied 1,049 children with severe malaria, which kills nearly a million people each year, mainly young children and pregnant women.
“We focused on those hospitals because those are the areas that are most hit with Malaria.We found out that Children who have been hospitalized with severe anemia in areas of Africa in which Malaria is endemic have a high risk of readmission and death within 6 months after discharge,” said Dr. Robert Opoka, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Paediatrics and Children Health, Makerere University College of Health Science.
Dr. Opoka noted that they allocated children with severe malaria with antimalarial during the first 3months post-discharge at 2,6 and 10 weeks and they were followed for three months and found out that 80 percent of the children on the antimalarial survived.
“It was observed that there was 70% significant reduction in either deaths or re-admissions among the children receiving the antimalarials compared to the group of children who were not on admission,” Dr. Opoka noted.
The study, whose findings have been published in the latest edition of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), was funded by the Norwegian Research Council. It involved an international consortium of researchers. Some of the members of the research team from Makerere University College of Health Sciences included: Dr. Richard Idro, Dr. Aggrey Dhabangi and Dr. Robert Opoka
Malaria is caused by parasites that are injected into the bloodstream by infected mosquitoes. Severe malaria is often the main reason why children are admitted to hospital in sub-Saharan Africa, and one in 10 of these children die.
The Ministry of Health 25th Health Sector Joint Review report 2018/2019 showed that malaria was still the leading cause of admissions for all ages accounting for 32.9 per cent of all admissions.
“The drug has a huge impact on reducing mortality and morbidity in children under five-years recovering from severe malaria. The children who were not on antimalarials developed respiratory distress, complicated seizures, movement disorders, vision impairment, speech and language impairments, cognitive deficits, epilepsy and destructive behavior,” said Dr. Aggrey Dhabangi, a Lecturer at the Makerere University College of Health Sciences.
Dr. Dhabangi noted that DP is available in both private and public pharmacies. And a dose goes for UGX 3,000 for children and UGX 3,500 for adults and it is supposed to be taken for 3days in a month. “(DP) is a reliably oral effective drug, and it is given to children according to weight and it should be given 14days after discharge and later after a month,” Dhabangi noted.
During the meeting held on 3rd December 2020, Dr. Richard Idro, a Senior Lecturer at the Makerere University College of Health Sciences, revealed that further studies in Malawi have demonstrated that delivery of the drugs using community-based approaches is associated with much higher adherence 24% than hospital-based approaches.
“These children are readmitted or die because by the time they are discharged from the hospital they have not fully recovered so when they go back home especially to places with high infections, they get attacked again, but with the antimalarial they get protected until they recover and gain their immunity,” Dr. Idro noted. The researchers recommended that after discharge, the children should be given Multi-Vitamin supplementation and use mosquito nets.
Responding to the findings, Dr. Charles Olaro, the Director of Curative Services at the Ministry of Health, said that he was happy with the research findings and promised to translate the research findings into policy so that Children in Uganda are saved.
“Malaria is still one of the diseases burdening clinical services, so we still need more research and innovations in that area. We need to start up a package where health workers do not only stop at discharging patients but also educate them about the post discharge,” Dr. Olaro, noted. He assured the public that the Ministry of Health had stocked enough Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine (DP) for public hospitals.
The Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe who was represented by Dr. Sabrina Kitaka from the College of Health Sciences commended the research team comprising Makerere University researchers for creating a paradigm shift that focuses on only treatment of malaria to a preventive approach that will save lives. The Vice Chancellor expressed Makerere University’s readiness to review the curricula to include prevention of malaria and chemo prevention in the management of malaria. Noting that the researchers focused on three (3) months after discharge, he appealed to research team to consider an option of extending the period of follow up to six (6) months so that more lives are saved.
Dr. Jimmy Opigo, the Assistant Commissioner-Health Services at the National Malaria Control Division said: “We are happy that this PMC study has enabled people to realise that treatment of malaria and discharge is not enough. There is need for longitudinal management of those discharged. The medical team and health care workers should add patient education and improve health care practices in the management of malaria.”
Article by Mak Public Relations Office
The Iteso Cultural Leader, His Highness Emorimor Papa Paul Sande Emolot, has called on Makerere University to elevate the Science of Designing, Adaptation, and Implementation of Evidence-Based Parenting Interventions course into a fully-fledged programme. This, he argued, would strengthen the capacity of practitioners implementing parenting interventions across Uganda.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony held on 11th June 2025 at Makerere University where 35 practitioners completed the 12-week course, Emorimor Papa Emolot emphasized the transformative power of effective parenting. He urged aspiring parents and advocates of the Parenting for Respectability model to enroll in the course.
Citing the impact in his own sub-county and village, the cultural leader revealed that over 800 families had already benefited from the programme.
“We now see peace and love in homes where there was once conflict. Without good parenting, you risk raising animals instead of children,” he passionately stated.
He praised the course for equipping practitioners, policymakers, and researchers with the skills needed to design culturally sensitive, evidence-based parenting interventions tailored to Uganda’s context. Among the notable graduates was Her Royal Majesty Juliet Among Emolot Atomeileng Akaliat Toto, who reaffirmed her commitment to advancing family-strengthening initiatives using the skills and knowledge acquired.
Dr. Godfrey Siu, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader at Makerere University, described the course as a timely intervention. During this remarks, Dr. Siu described the event as a significant milestone in advancing the field of evidence based parenting intervention and family strengthening in Uganda.
“This course is meant to empower you as practitioners, policy makers and all those involved in development and implementation of parenting work. It provides both theoretical knowledge and practical tools essential for developing high quality interventions”, Dr. Siu noted. He urged the pioneer group to carry forward the expertise as champions of designing, adaptation and implementation of evidence parenting interventions.
Representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Dr. Aggrey David Kibenge, Juliana Naumo, Commissioner for Culture and Family Affairs, said the course supports the government’s agenda to address negative social outcomes affecting families.
“By grounding parenting in research, harmonizing policy with practice, and advocating for equity, we will ensure no family is left behind,” she said. “Cross-sectoral collaboration is key to unlocking transformative change.”
Ms. Naumo highlighted the government’s commitment—both technical and financial—to support outstanding student projects from the course. She stressed the importance of equipping professionals with the skills to bridge gaps between research and practice for consistent, high-quality parenting support across Uganda. While delivering the Vice chancellors speech by Dr. Helen Nambalirwa, Principal of the CHUSS, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe commended the graduates as a beacon of hope.
“At a time when parenting faces challenges like digital distractions, changing societal norms, and a rising mental health crisis, Makerere reaffirms its support for interventions that drive the societal transformation we desire,” Nawangwe stated.
Prof. Richard Idro, Deputy Principal of the College of Health Sciences, acknowledged the growing parenting challenges in Uganda and the region, adding that the course was a major step towards standardizing parenting interventions nationwide.
He applauded the Child Health and Development Centre (CHDC) for leading this paramount and critical initiative.
Mr. Hosea Katende, Course Administrator at CHDC, emphasized the importance of integrating systematic methods, ethical principles, robust evidence, and collaboration to create lasting impact in parenting.
Dr. Aggrey Dhabangi, Lecturer at CHDC, representing Dr. Herbert Muyinda, Director of CHDC, acknowledged the contributions of partners such as the ELMA Foundation and Echidna Giving for their financial and capacity-building support. He also appreciated the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, among other stakeholders, for their technical guidance in the programme’s successful implementation.
Dr. Dhabangi extended gratitude to cultural institutions, especially the Kingdom of Teso, and acknowledged growing collaborations with other cultural institutions such as the Kingdom of Acholi, in the shared mission of building strong families as the foundation of Uganda’s future.
He extended his heartfelt gratitude to cultural institutions, especially the Kingdom of Teso, and others kingdoms such as the Kingdom of Acholi, in building Uganda’s future through creating strong families. Nuruh Mbalyowere, a Rehabilitation and Reintegration Officer with the Uganda Prisons Service, was honored for developing the best parenting intervention titled “Parenting Behind Prison Bars.” She expressed her intention to apply the knowledge gained both at home and in her workplace.
By Okeya John and Primrose Nabankema
The intensive one-month course, running for the first time from June 5 to July 24, 2025, is jointly offered by Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH)’s Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences (CHBS) and the Department of Journalism and Communication (DJC) at the School of Languages, Literature, and Communication (SLLC), co-designed in 2024 with support from the Rockefeller Foundation through Amref Health Africa.
It seeks to equip healthcare providers at the community level, public health and environmental health practitioners, communication specialists, health educators, community development officers, social scientists, and policy makers, among others, with strategic communication skills to improve public health messaging, strengthen community engagement, and support evidence-based interventions, ultimately empowering participants to effectively engage communities and improve population health outcomes across Uganda and the region.
Launching the course, the heads of the Department of Journalism and Communication and the Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences noted that participants who complete the short course will gain practical tools to influence behaviour change, build trust, and deliver timely, accurate, and relevant health information to the communities they serve. The first cohort attracted more than 60 applicants, with 36 reporting for the opening in-person session on June 5, 2025, at MakSPH in Mulago. Between now and July, participants will undergo a hands-on, multidisciplinary learning experience within the Certificate in Health Communication and Community Engagement program, which combines theory and practice.
Among the participants in the first cohort of the certificate course, designed as a pilot for the anticipated Master of Health Promotion and Communication to be jointly offered by the two departments at Makerere University, is Ms. Maureen Kisaakye, a medical laboratory technologist specialising in microbiology and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and currently pursuing a Master’s in Immunology and Clinical Microbiology at Makerere. She is driven by a passion to help reverse the rising tide of AMR, a growing global health threat where drugs that once worked are no longer effective. Kisaakye is particularly concerned about common infections, like urinary tract infections, becoming increasingly resistant and harder to treat.
“I enrolled in this course because I’m an advocate against antimicrobial resistance, and it came at a time when I needed to deepen my knowledge on how to implement our projects more effectively and engage with communities. The experience has broadened my understanding of AMR and its impact on society, and strengthened my passion for community-driven health initiatives and advocacy,” Kisaakye said, explaining why she enrolled for the short course.
Kisaakye’s work in antimicrobial resistance extends beyond the lab. Having earned her degree in medical laboratory science from Mbarara University of Science and Technology, she founded Impala Tech Research in 2024 to drive impact and save lives. She has led grassroots AMR campaigns that integrate antimicrobial stewardship with water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) education in underserved urban communities, including the informal settlements in Kampala. She also has since designed peer-led initiatives that empower university students as AMR Champions, building a network of informed youth advocates. Kisaakye believes the health communication course will sharpen her ability to design and deliver impactful, community-centred interventions in response to the growing threat of drug resistance.
“The department collaborates with many partners within and beyond the University, including the School of Public Health, where we are working to develop the subfield of health communication and promotion. Our goal is to train specialists in this area and build a community of practice, something we have each been doing in our own spaces. There’s a lot of work ahead, and COVID-19 showed us just how urgently we need a generation trained to do this kind of work, and to do it very well,” said Dr. Aisha Nakiwala, Head of the Department of Journalism and Communication, during the opening of the short course on June 5.
She assured participants they were in good hands and underscored the importance of the partnership between the Department of Journalism and Communication and the School of Public Health, describing it as a vital collaboration that brings together strategic communication and public health expertise. This dynamic, multidisciplinary approach, she noted, is essential to developing practical solutions that empower communities, strengthen health systems, and ultimately improve livelihoods.
The course offers a hands-on, multidisciplinary learning experience, with participants intended to explore key modules including Health Communication and Promotion, Risk Communication, Smart Advocacy, Community Mapping, Community Mobilisation and Empowerment, and Strategies for Community Engagement. The course combines theory with real-world application, and its assessment includes a field-based project and a final exam.
“You are our first cohort. We are seeing the fruits of our efforts in bringing this short course to life. It was born out of a joint initiative to develop a Master’s programme in Health Promotion and Communication,” said Dr. Christine Nalwadda, Head of the Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences. “We carried out extensive consultations with our different key stakeholders during the process and discovered a real need for such a course. It was the stakeholders who even named it; this course name didn’t come from us.”
For Kisaakye, by the end of the course in July, she hopes to have sharpened her skills in health promotion and strategic communication, particularly in crafting targeted messages that help individuals and communities effectively respond to threats such as antimicrobial resistance. She also aims to gain practical experience in designing, implementing, and evaluating community health initiatives that can strengthen her advocacy and drive lasting impact.
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