Health
Dr. Kakumba Officially Opens HPE Conference 2021
The Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs)-DVCAA, Dr. Umar Kakumba on Thursday 27th May, 2021 officially opened the two-day Health Profession’s Education Conference based on the theme; “Transforming Health Professions Education (HPE) in the 21st Century: From Theory to Practice”. The Conference was organised by the Eastern Africa Health Professions Educators’ Association (EAHPEA), and the Health Professions Education Partnership Initiative (HEPI) Project co-hosted by the College of Health Sciences (CHS), Makerere University.
The project; Health Professions Education and training for Strengthening the Health System and Services in Uganda(HEPI-SHSSU), is an innovative Education Research NIH-funded program implemented by a partnership between CHS, Busitema University School of Health Sciences, Kabale University School of Medicine, Clarke International University, Mulago School of Nursing and Midwifery, The African center for Global health and social transformation (ACHEST), Yale University and John Hopkins University (JHU). Prof. Sarah Kiguli from the School of Medicine, CHS is the project’s Principal Investigator and the Conference’s Chairperson Organising Committee.
The goal of the HEPI program, which started in August 2018 is to improve service delivery of the Ugandan health system through strengthened interdisciplinary health professional education and research training to produce graduates with competencies to address the priority health needs of the population.
Dr. Kakumba in his remarks noted that health is a critical success factor towards sustaining and promoting high levels of human development and it is therefore important that all stakeholders are involved in strengthening education and training systems for Health Professionals.
In this regard, he said that EAHPEA and the HEPI Project both provide opportunities and platforms for stakeholders to collaborate, plan and implement strategies that will improve the competence of educators and ultimately, the quality of graduates and health of communities.
“At institutional level, Makerere is especially aware of the dire need to recruit adequate numbers of well qualified staff, who should be developed in knowledge, and other competencies. Indeed a number of actions continue to be undertaken in the units with most critical need” he shared.
The DVCAA made specific mention of CHS’ proposed; pre-entry exam to improve the process of admitting medical students, and establishment of the Health Professions Education Centre to support faculty development at the college and other Institutions, as interventions that will contribute to the University’s efforts to implement student-centred learning.
“I equally bid to support the establishment of the Health Professions Education Centre” he vouched.
Dr. Kakumba therefore urged the College to strengthen its partnership with Government, particularly the Ministries of Health and Education as well as development partners and the community to ensure that meaningful transformation in Health Professions Education is achieved.
“I extend special thanks to all the Keynote Speakers, Partner Institutions represented, and the National Institutes of Health that has funded the conference through the Makerere University HEPI Project” he concluded.
The Principal CHS, Prof. Damalie Nakanjako thanked Dr. Kakumba for being supportive of the college’s innovations, particularly the proposal to establish the Health Professions Education Centre. She added that CHS had since followed it through to the next level. “The proposal is already under review by the Senate sub-Committee.”
Prof. Nakajanko shared that CHS was proud to have led the transformation of traditional curricular into the student-centred curricular. This curricular is grounded in problem-based learning and community-based education and services. The college has also embraced inter-disciplinary education.
“All these innovations would not have been possible without the efforts of; Prof. Nelson Sewankambo, Prof. Sarah Kiguli and Prof. Elsie Kiguli Malwadde” remarked Prof. Kiguli to applause from the audience.
She added that the Professors have since gone beyond CHS to support and work with all other Health Education Programmes in the country. “It is because of you that our Medical Education continues to be the leader in the region and we thank you very much.”
The Principal said her college was able to carry on teaching despite restrictions to institutions aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 thanks largely to the pedagogical support provided by the HEPI program. She therefore called for the need to reclassify computers and e-Learning equipment as teaching materials at procurement stage, so as to facilitate increased roll-out of online education.
Prof. Nelson Sewankambo is a Professor of Internal Medicine in the School of Medicine, CHS. Having served as Associate Dean and Dean of the School of Medicine and thereafter Principal CHS, he has been at the helm of various academic and administrative innovations and dedicated his efforts to improving medical education both in Uganda and internationally. Recently awarded Professor Emeritus of Makerere University, he was therefore the perfect candidate to deliver the opening ceremony’s keynote address on “Transformative Health Professions Education: Owning and Changing Our Future”.
“As we think about transformation of education, we need to link education and health systems. We cannot or should not work with one system and not the other. We as health profession educators should contribute to building the health systems as well” said Prof. Sewankambo as he tackled the need for holistic transformative education.
Reflecting on the three types of learning of health professions education; Transmissional, Transactional and Transformational, Prof. Sewankambo said that the latter; Transformative learning involves experiencing a deep, structural shift in the basic premises of thought, feelings and actions.
“Many of you know that young people join health professions training institutions with a lot of vigour and interest to do wonderful things and by the time they leave these institutions they have given up; they are not thinking the way they did when they were coming in” he shared solemnly.
This point then drove him to ask “So, how can we lay the foundation for transformational learning?” and as his audience pondered he answered, “We need to analyse the main opportunities and challenges which are facing the health workforce… and then we need to recognise and accept the need for change.”
Prof. Sewankambo acknowledged that we are in most cases our own barriers because we do not recognise the need for change. “We have therefore, before we talk about transformative education, to transform our own minds, then we can plunge into transformative education.”
Other factors identified by Prof. Sewankambo in laying the foundation for transformative education included; Strategic vision and change management, Balancing the top-down and bottom-up approach and above all, Transformative leadership and a learning system/institution.
He further warned that a failure to re-lay the foundations would most likely result in Uganda and the region risking a “continued deterioration of service provision, worsening health outcomes and a system poorly equipped to respond to future health challenges.”
Prof. Sewankambo in conclusion tasked the delegates who were drawn from various institutions within Uganda and the region to come up with a call to action. This, he opined, would serve as the turning point for ensuring transformative health professions education in the period following the conference.
On 2nd December 2024, Assoc. Professor Bruce Kirenga officially took over as Principal of the College of Health Sciences, Makerere University (MakCHS) in a handover ceremony held in the College Board Room. Dr. Kirenga succeeds Professor Damalie Nakanjako, who successfully completed her four-year term.
The ceremony was attended by members of the MakCHS Administrative Board and key university leaders, including Ag. Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration) Professor Henry Alinaitwe, Chief of Human Resources, Mr. Deus Tayari Mujuni, & Deputy University Secretary Mr. Simon Kizito, among others.
In her remarks, Professor Nakanjako reflected on her time in office with gratitude and pride since she assumed office in December 2020. She expressed her full support for MakCHS in contributing towards training and research in Makerere University.
Professor Nakanjako thanked the university top management for the support rendered to during her term of office as Principal. I thank family, friends and colleagues who supported and allowed me share my time with the college, especially beyond official hours.
Dr. Kirenga, a pulmonologist, researcher, and founding director of the Makerere University Lung Institute, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Makerere leadership and the search committee for entrusting him with the responsibility of steering the college. He noted; “It’s a true honour to have been entrusted with this role. The search process was rigorous, but I learned so much from the ideas shared by my colleagues—it was a truly honourable competition.”
With a vision for collaboration and growth, Dr. Kirenga outlined his priorities, including improving staffing, improving relationships with teaching hospitals, and addressing infrastructure needs. He emphasized a leadership style rooted in inclusivity and teamwork, saying, “Let’s create a common vision through consultation and work together. I’ll visit every unit in the college to hear directly from staff about their challenges, needs, and ideas for moving forward.”
Dr. Kirenga also shared plans to establish a forum of past leaders to harness their collective wisdom and ensure continuity in leadership.
Four Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) faculty have been inducted for the 2024 Uganda National Academy of Sciences (UNAS) fellowship, a preeminent nation’s most respected scientific bodies. This is the first time MakSPH is scooping a large number of faculty fellows, which was the highest for a single institution. This prestigious honor was awarded on Friday, November 1, 2024, at Four Points by Sheraton Kampala, Uganda.
The recipients are;
⦿ Professor David Guwatudde, a Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the MakSPH where he has been teaching for over 32 years. In the last decade, Dr. Guwatudde’s research interest has been on characterising the epidemiology, evaluattion and effectiveness of appropriate interventions for prevention and control of selected non-communicable diseases (NCD) especially diabetes and hypertension.
⦿ Dr. Fredrick Edward Makumbi, an Associate Professor of Biostatistics at MakSPH in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. A seasoned public health professional in Uganda, he is also a Gates Fellow. Through his expertise in population health and the evaluation of public health interventions, Dr. Makumbi has generated significant evidence that impacts the field. He has published over 300 journal articles and leads the PMA project, which focuses on evaluating schistosomiasis and family planning initiatives in Uganda.
⦿ Dr. David Musoke, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health at MakSPH. He serves as the Chair of the Grants and Research Capacity Building Committee at MakSPH and is the President Elect of the International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH). A graduate of Makerere University, his research interests include environmental health, malaria prevention and community health. He organized the first International Community Health Workers symposium which was held in Uganda, and is an academic editor and reviewer for several journals.
⦿ Dr. Victoria Nankabirwa, an experienced clinical researcher and Lecturer in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at MakSPH. She holds a PhD from the University of Bergen and is also a member of the WHO Immunization and Vaccine-related Implementation Research (IVIR) Advisory Committee. Her key interests include mother and child outcomes, particularly survival and the impact of immunization.
UNAS is an independent, non-profit, and non-political organization, established and founded in October 2000 to provide Uganda with credible, balanced, and evidence-driven guidance on matters of science and development. Membership is drawn from distinguished scientists and scholars who have made significant, lifelong contributions across diverse fields, including natural and social sciences, arts, and humanities.
The UNAS Fellowship remains one of the nation’s most respected scientific bodies, with over 200 members working collaboratively in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary fields to address Uganda’s challenges through science and innovation.
Every year, Fellows of the Uganda National Academy of Sciences (FUNAS) have an opportunity to nominate potential fellows into the academy based on their merit, impact and contribution of the world of Science. A nomination stands substantive once it is seconded by another FUNAS, after which the nominees go through a rigorous selection process by a highly competent committee of scholars in the academy.
Once selected and inducted, fellows in the academy devote their time on honorific activities and service provision through arbitrating on contentious national debates such as whether to provide free social services to refugees and whether to use DDT to control Malaria. Since inception on October 20, 2000, the UNAS has distinguished itself as a premier honorific society for eminent scientists in Uganda. It leverages on the expertise and stature of its members to provide pro bono evidence-informed advice to government and Ugandans on science, technology, innovation and sustainable development.
Dr. David Serwadda, an Exemplar Scholar of Makerere University who this year received the prestigious Professor Emeritus title presented the new fellows to the UNAS convention. He described Dr. Nankabirwa as a prolific researcher, with over 80 publications in peer-reviewed journals and an impressive funding portfolio that includes a number of highly competitive research grants.
On her part, Dr. Victoria Nankabirwa said she was grateful for the recognition and pledged to uphold UNAS values.
“I am very thankful for this recognition, and as I reflect on the journey that has brought me to this point, I am reminded that this is not the result of solitary work but of shared aspirations, collaborations, and partnerships. As such, I am very thankful to my nominators and seconders, Prof. David Serwadda and Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze, as well as to my colleagues, my students, and my family, represented by my mum. To these people and to you, I extend my deepest gratitude. I pledge to uphold the academy’s values, advocate for science-driven policies, and mentor future generations. I will work as hard as I can within this FUNAS,” said Dr. Nankabirwa.
Dr. Fredrick Edward Makumbi expressed his gratitude and commitment during his recent induction as a fellow of the Uganda National Academy of Sciences (FUNAS). “I am delighted to have been nominated and accepted as a FUNAS. I am truly appreciative and acknowledge the support of all those who have helped me, from my family to my teachers and colleagues—many of whom are here today. They have supported me and brought me to this great podium. I pledge to continue working, supporting, and promoting the health and well-being of the people of Uganda and beyond through science, as well as mentoring others to ensure a sustainable generation that can uphold the health and well-being of Uganda and beyond. I am glad to be here, and thank you very much,” Dr. Makumbi stated.
Dr. David Musoke is a promising researcher and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health at Makerere University’s School of Public Health. He serves as the Chair of the Grants and Research Capacity Building Committee and is the President Elect of the International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH).
“I am really delighted and humbled to be joining this elite class of academics and scholars as a fellow of UNAS. It is an honor to join many of my mentors from over the years, including my very own father, who is also a fellow of UNAS and is here today, Prof. Miph Musoke. I wish to thank my family—my parents, wife, and children—for all their support, as well as the research teams we have worked with,” said Dr. David Musoke.
Adding that; “I also extend my gratitude to my mentors from the university, Professor David Serwadda and Professor Rhoda Wanyenze, for nominating me, along with all the others who have contributed throughout this journey, including funders, collaborators, the community, and everyone else we work with. I look forward to serving in this capacity and upholding the goals and aims of UNAS, especially in the field of Environmental Health and Community Health.”
Professor Guwatudde, a lead investigator in two national surveys assessing non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors in his country—first in 2014 and again in 2023—expressed his commitment to tackling NCDs as he was recognized by the Uganda National Academy of Sciences (UNAS).
“I would like to thank the UNAS council, the secretariat, and all members for accepting me as a member,” Prof. Guwatudde said.
“I pledge to contribute in the area of non-communicable diseases. We have conducted extensive research in this country, giving us a clear picture of the NCD burden, a reality that affects us all. I would be glad to share this insight with fellow members,” added Guwatudde.
National academies worldwide provide neutral platforms for experts across disciplines to tackle societal challenges and clarify emerging issues in science, technology, and policy. These institutions play a crucial role in preparing for and responding to global threats such as pandemics. Since its inception, the Uganda National Academy of Sciences (UNAS) has been led by four presidents: Prof. Paul Mugambi (2000-2014), Prof. Nelson Sewankambo (2014-2019), Prof. Peter Mugyenyi (2019-2022), and, since October 2022, Prof. Grace Bantebya-Kyomuhendo, a Professor of Women and Gender Studies at Makerere University—the first female head of the academy.
Prof. Bantebya extended her congratulations to the newly inducted fellows. She emphasized the responsibilities UNAS fellows carry, including upholding the academy’s constitution and contributing to its vision, mission, and objectives. “Our fellows play a critical role in advancing the academy’s goals, and their dedication is vital to our impact on science and policy,” Prof. Bantebya stated.
“Remain academically active. Please listen to that. In meaningful pursuit of academic excellence in your respective areas of expertise. Do not say that now that you have become a fellow, you will stop being academically active. We expect you to continue,” she emphasised.
She also called on the fellows to actively participate in the academy’s conventions, consensus-building efforts, and other activities. Prof. Bantebya emphasized the importance of consensus studies to the academy’s mission, urging fellows to make themselves available when called upon.
“Ensure high standards of conduct based on national and international best practices. We expect you to maintain and ensure high standards yourselves and foster good relations among members as well as with the academy, the general science community, and the public. You also need to meet all the obligations as a fellow of UNAS, whether financial or otherwise, as stipulated,” the Academy President said
A fellow may lose their membership in the academy if they act against the UNAS constitution or bring disrepute to its goals, name, or vision. Membership can also be terminated if a member is convicted by a competent court or authority of a felony or serious crime, or if they are declared bankrupt or of unsound mind.
UNAS’s mission is to foster the welfare and prosperity of the Ugandan people by generating, sharing, and utilizing robust knowledge and insights to deliver independent, merit-based scientific counsel to government and society. As part of the global scientific community, UNAS maintains strong ties with the Network of African Science Academies (NASAC), Network of Science Academies in Islamic Countries (NASIC), the U.S. National Academies, IAP, and TWAS.
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