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Mak’s Gloria Seruwagi joins Multi-million GBP Global Innovation Challenge as Judge

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By Joseph Odoi

Dr Gloria Seruwagi, a Lecturer at Makerere University with expertise in sociobehavioural sciences, global health and international development, has been selected as Judge for a multi-million-pound global innovation challenge. This is according to a press statement issued by Trinity Challenge in the United Kingdom.

The Trinity Challenge is a global coalition of over 40 members, from across academia, private and public organisations and charities, committed to bringing together the best thinking, capabilities and tools in data and analytics to address future pandemic outbreaks. The coalition is united by the common aim of better protecting the world against health emergencies, using data-driven research and analytics. Some of the Coalition members include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, University of Cambridge, Aviva, Brunswick, Google, Facebook, Imperial College London, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), GSK and Microsoft among others.

Dr. Gloria Seruwagi, who is also Team Leader at The Centre for Health and Social Economic Improvement (CHASE-i), will join a global expert panel of judges awarding over £10m to innovators with solutions for future health emergencies. This year’s Trinity Challenge is on “How can data and analytics be used to better identify, respond to, and recover from global health emergencies?”

The Judges

In assembling its judging panel the Trinity Challenge looked for experts and leaders in the fields of technology, analytics and artificial intelligence, public health, epidemiology, investments, non-profit and social sectors.

In her statement, Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chair of The Trinity Challenge couldn’t hide her excitement about working with the diverse and expert nature of the Judges on the  panel:“We are excited to convene a judging panel that is representative of the various sectors, industries, and geographies that we hope to engage – in line with our aim to attract the best solutions from anyone, anywhere. Our panel includes some of the world’s pre-eminent experts in analytics, design, public health, epidemiology, and public and social sector. We are confident that these judges will help us identify the most exciting and impactful solutions to better prepare us for the next global health emergency”.

Following her selection Dr. Seruwagi said she was humbled to be joining a great team of expert individuals and institutions committed to creating a more resilient world in this era of unprecedented global health emergencies. MIT Solve has had previous tech-focused collaborations with Makerere University which this participation builds on.

More about the Challenge

Earlier this year, the Trinity Challenge launched its call for submission of solutions to its health innovation Challenge in partnership with MIT Solve. The Challenge will award prizes from up to a total fund of £10m this June 2021 to innovative solutions that use data, digital tools and analytics to help better identify, respond to, and recover from future health emergencies. 

Individual winners stand to receive cash prizes to help them develop, deploy, and scale their solutions for the global public good. They will also benefit from support and mentorship from The Trinity Challenge’s coalition of Members. Members of The Trinity Challenge span organisations from the private sector – including pharma/medtech and tech more broadly, academia, and the social sector.

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Job Opportunity at MakSBSREC: Assistant Administrative Officer

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The Davies Lecture Theatre (Right), School of Biomedical Sciences (Blue) and other buildings at the College of Health Sciences (CHS), Mulago Campus, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Makerere University is pleased to announce a vacancy for the position of Assistant Administrative Officer (REC Administrator) within the School of Biomedical Sciences Research Ethics Committee (MakSBSREC). This is an excellent opportunity for qualified individuals to contribute to the ethical oversight of research involving human participants.

Position Details:

  • Job Title: Assistant Administrative Officer (REC Administrator) – MakSBSREC
  • Reports to: Chairperson MakSBSREC
  • Engagement: Full-time
  • Duration: 1 Year, renewable upon satisfactory performance
  • Duty Station: Kampala

Qualifications, Desired Skills, and Experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and Humanities, Medicine and Surgery, Ethics and Human Rights, or any related field.
  • Master’s degree in Bioethics (an added advantage).
  • Up-to-date training in Human Subject Protection or Good Clinical Practice.
  • Proficiency in English (both spoken and written).
  • Prior experience in regulatory work in research studies or projects.
  • Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and meet deadlines.

How to Apply:

Qualified and interested candidates are invited to submit a soft copy of their application documents and a motivation letter to deansbs.chs@mak.ac.ug with the subject line “Application for the position of Assistant Administrative Officer (REC Administrator)”. Address your application to the Dean, School of Biomedical Sciences.

Deadline for submission: July 2, 2024, by 5:00 pm Ugandan time.

Please provide a reliable 24-hour phone contact. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.

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Call For Abstracts: 18th Joint Annual Scientific Health Conference (JASHC) 2024

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Call For Abstracts: 18th Joint Annual Scientific Health Conference (JASHC), the 30th UNACOH Conference, the 22nd Mathew Lukwiya Lecture scheduled to take place from 16th - 18th October 2024, at Hotel Africana, Kampala, Uganda, East Africa.

The Makerere University College of Health Sciences  (MakCHS) in conjunction with the Uganda National Association for Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH) announces the 18th Joint Annual Scientific Health Conference (JASHC)the 30th UNACOH Conference, the 22nd Mathew Lukwiya Lecture scheduled to take place from 16th  – 18th October 2024, at Hotel Africana, Kampala – Uganda.

Conference Theme: Global Health Security: Partnerships for Epidemic Response and Control in Sub-Saharan Africa 

Researchers, health workers, policymakers, students, and public/civil society members are invited to submit abstracts.

Deadline for submission of Abstracts: August 15th 2024

See the Downloads for more information

For more information contact Conference Secretariat:
Makerere University College of Health Sciences, 
1st Floor, Pathology Building, 
School of Biomedical Sciences, Dean’s Office, 
P.O. Box 7072 Kampala, Uganda. 
Email: jashc2024@gmail.com 
Website: https://chs.mak.ac.ug/jash2024 
Tel: +256784574544/+256759287297

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METS Newsletter May 2024

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The newly appointed CDC Uganda Country Director, Dr. Adetinuke Mary Boyd (7th from left) met with country implementing partner Executive Directors to get insights on ongoing projects, discussed leveraging of partnerships as well as strategizing for how best to strengthen health systems. Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI)-McKinnell Knowledge Centre, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Technical Support (METS) Program is a 5-year CDC-supported collaboration of Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and Health Information Systems Program (HISP Uganda).

Highlights of the METS May 2024 Newsletter

  • Enhancing Response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
    • Responding to and preventing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and Violence Against Children (VAC) are critical components of Uganda’s national HIV prevention program. METS developed a new app designed to improve support for SGBV survivors. This followed an assessment in December 2022, that revealed gaps in service access and coordination in Fort Portal and Kampala Regions.
    • The METS team, in collaboration with regional implementing partners, is scaling up the app’s use in pilot districts such as Masaka, Kiryandongo, Fort Portal, and Mubende. The team visited facilities and police stations to install the app and train selected focal persons on its use.
  • Assessing Readiness for Integrated HIV and NCD Care Services
    • METS supported the Ministry of Health to conduct a site readiness assessment for integrated delivery of HIV and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) services from 22nd to 26th April 2024, in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and various implementing partners. The activity was conducted in selected health facilities in Acholi, Mubende, Kayunga, and Rwenzori regions to determine their feasibility for participating in a comprehensive NCD evaluation.
    • The 48 facilities visited have already integrated NCD services (mental Health, diabetes, and hypertension). Of these, 78% have integrated mental health services in their PMTCT clinics. 40% of the facilities have a dedicated NCD services physicians /doctor in the ART Clinic, 29% have doc have dedicated physicians in the PMTCT clinics. 90%. Most of the facilities have clinical and nurses in the ART than PMTCT facilities but more nurses offering NCD services in PMTCT sites.
  • Digitalizing the health sector through strategic partnerships
    • In collaboration with CDC and METS, the MoH organized a national Electronic Medical Records (EMR) stakeholders meeting to orient stakeholders on the national EMR agenda and transition towards a comprehensive digital health facility package. Key actions discussed included expanding the rollout of the EMR and Community Health Information System (eCHIS) and urging development partners to support prioritized health information and digital health investments.
    • The introduction of electronic medical records (EMRs) in health facilities aims to improve the quality of health service delivery by providing real-time accountability transparency, and traceability of medical supplies, monitoring health worker absenteeism, enhancing patient satisfaction through efficient care provision, reducing unnecessary or duplicate diagnostic tests, and offering easy access to management reports for decision-making. Additionally, EMRs will lay the foundation for the implementation of national health insurance.
  • UgandaEMR+ Implementation Showcased at Kisenyi HCIV
    • METS and Reach Out Mbuya (ROM) showcased the implementation of UgandaEMR+ to representatives from the USG and the Ministry of Health (MoH) at Kisenyi HCIV. The visit was aimed at providing a clear understanding of the system’s functionality at the health facility, which serves over 1,200 outpatients daily and supports over 1600 clients on ART.
    • Dr. Peter Akonyera, the ART Clinic In Charge shared positive end-user experiences, noting simplified data use and analysis, efficient data retrieval, and the system’s popularity among users despite existing challenges. He appreciated METS’ support in maintaining system synchronization. The data visualization tools have been particularly useful for clinicians to manage patient schedules and workload distribution effectively, ensuring timely and efficient healthcare delivery.
  • METS Showcases Research at INTEREST 2024 Conference in Benin
    • The International Conference on HIV Treatment, Pathogenesis, and Prevention Research (INTEREST) brought together global scientists to share cutting-edge knowledge in HIV diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The conference also aimed to build a community of African physicians and scientists to develop local solutions for managing HIV and preventing its transmission.
    • METS submitted an abstract titled “Enhancing HIV Case Identification through a National HIV Testing Services (HTS) Continuous Quality Improvement” based on support to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in designing, implementing, and evaluating initiatives to increase the identification of HIV-positive clients, crucial for achieving the global target of 95% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) knowing their status.
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    • New CDC Director meets Country implementing partner Executive Directors
    • UgandaEMR+ support supervision at Kisenyi HCIV visit
    • EMR Stakeholders meeting
    • CBS guidelines meeting
    • INTEREST 2024 conference – Benin
    • Key Populations assessment – Ishaka district

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