Uganda has released the preliminary findings of the 2025 Uganda Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment (UPHIA 2025), a national household survey that provides a current picture of the country’s HIV response and selected non-communicable disease indicators.

At the Uganda Media Centre today, 1 October 2026, the Minister of Health, Hon. Dr Chris Baryomunsi, released the preliminary results and said the evidence would guide policy, resource allocation and service improvement, with particular attention to people and communities with the greatest gaps. He urged Ugandans to know their HIV status, use prevention services and, when diagnosed, start treatment promptly and adhere to it.

Among adults aged 15 years and above, HIV prevalence was 5.9 percent, including 7.3 percent among women and 4.1 percent among men. Among adults aged 15–64, prevalence was also 5.9 percent, unchanged from 2020/21. Across the country, prevalence ranged from 1.3 percent in Karamoja to 8.0 percent in the South Western region. Of adults living with HIV, 85.3 percent knew their status; 99.1 percent of those aware were on treatment; and 96.5 percent of those on treatment had achieved viral load suppression. HIV-status awareness remains the central gap in the 95-95-95 cascade.

The survey also measured selected non-communicable disease indicators for the first time. Elevated blood pressure affected 15.5 percent of adults, while 24.8 percent had overweight or obesity and 0.9 percent had raised blood glucose.

Conducted from July to September 2025, UPHIA 2025 was the first population-based HIV impact assessment to be fully country-led. The Ministry of Health provided overall leadership, while Makerere University School of Public Health served as the prime implementing organisation, working with UVRI, UBOS, regional referral hospitals and local governments. PEPFAR funded the survey through the U.S. CDC.

Watch the UPHIA 2025 preliminary results launch:
https://www.youtube.com/live/QfHFBaJ-L-w

Read the UPHIA 2025 summary results:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nElGNwgcAcZyAo9CLCQKRpO2jJgyxjSc/view?usp=drive_link

Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), on behalf of the WIN-WIN in the Wetlands for Climate Resilience project, invites eligible organisations to submit proposals for selection as the Implementing Partner responsible for designing and delivering a community-based urban wetland restoration and sustainable livelihood intervention in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA).

This is an open, competitive Call for Proposals (CfP). In line with good practice for evidence-generation projects, this CfP intentionally does not prescribe the restoration model, livelihood package, or implementation methodology. Applicants are instead invited to propose their own technically sound, innovative, and locally appropriate approach in response to the problem statement, objectives and outcomes set out in the attached Terms of Reference (ToR). The selection process will be conducted in two stages: (1) a short Concept Note stage, open to all eligible applicants, and (2) a Full Proposal stage, open only to organisations shortlisted at Concept Note stage.

Key details:

• What: Selection of an Implementing Partner for Community-Based Urban Wetland Restoration and Sustainable Livelihood Development
• Reference No.: MakSPH/WIN-WIN/CfP/2026/01
• Who can apply: Registered NGOs/CSOs, CBOs/cooperatives, private firms or social enterprises, or consortia of these
• Where: Urban and peri-urban wetland communities in Wakiso, Mukono, and Mpigi districts (Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area)
• Concept Note deadline: 16 October 2026, 5:00 PM (EAT)
• Submission: winwinwetlands@musph.ac.ug, subject line “WIN-WIN CfP – [Applicant Organisation Name]”
• Contact for questions: Ms. Winnie Kansiime, winniekansiime@musph.ac.ug, +256 783 640 210

See below for detailed call.

Dr. Joy Louise Gumikiriza-Onoria, a Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry at Makerere University College of Health Sciences, has been selected for the prestigious 2026–27 Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health program.

Based at the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), the global fellowship brings together leaders across multiple disciplines to develop innovative, equitable solutions for brain health and dementia care worldwide. Dr. Gumikiriza-Onoria, who holds a PhD in Brain Health, is an accomplished academician and researcher whose expertise spans neuropsychology, mental health, cognitive functioning, behavioural science, and implementation research.

Uganda currently faces a rising prevalence of dementia, compounded by limited public awareness and a shortage of specialized care facilities. Dr. Gumikiriza-Onoria’s work directly addresses these challenges by focusing on dementia, HIV and aging, neuropsychology, and community-based interventions. Through her strategy of generating rigorous evidence and developing scalable interventions, she aims to enhance cognitive and mental health outcomes for older adults—particularly those aging with HIV—in sub-Saharan Africa.

As part of the 2026–27 cohort, Dr. Gumikiriza-Onoria joins 15 other incoming fellows at UCSF representing diverse fields including medicine, public health, advocacy, policy, and the arts. Together, they become part of a lifelong global network of more than 330 Atlantic Fellows spanning over 70 countries. Over the coming year, the fellows will collaborate across disciplines, hone their leadership skills, and design scalable approaches to reduce brain health inequities.

Through the fellowship, Dr. Gumikiriza-Onoria plans to establish key international partnerships to translate her research into practical, culturally relevant solutions. Her goal is to strengthen local brain health systems, support dementia caregivers, and improve healthy aging outcomes for vulnerable populations across Uganda and the broader African continent.

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