A montage of Dr. Olive Kobusingye, Frederick Oporia and Mr. Sowed Sewagudde, speakers at the World Drowning Prevention Day Webinar organized by the Ministry of Water and Environment in collaboration with the Makerere University School of Public Health, 27th July 2021.
On 27th July, 2021, Makerere University joined the rest of the world to mark the 1st International Drowning Prevention Day. This follows a historic resolution by UN Assembly to declare 25th July the World Drowning Prevention Day.
This day was set aside to raise awareness about the devastating effects of drowning on families and communities globally.
According to WHO Data, an estimated 236,000 people drown every year, and drowning is among the ten leading causes of death for children aged 5-14 years. More than 90% of drowning deaths occur in Low- and-Middle-Income-Countries (LMICs), with Africa being among the most affected region.
While moderating Uganda’s webinar to mark this day under the Ugandan theme ‘Drowning: recognizing the silent burden and a call to action’, Dr. Olive Kobusingye, a Senior Research Fellow and Head of the TRauma, Injury And Disability (TRIAD) unit at Makerere University School of Public Health in a special way welcomed over 100 participants to the zoom session. She remarked that drowning is a big problem which affects many different types of people adding that it is preventable with good planning and investments at national and community levels.
‘’Nationally, we need to plan systems for gathering data, we need a work plan, resources, agencies and people mandated to prevent drowning. At the community level we need sensitization about the risk of drowning, we need people to report drownings when they happen, and we need them to participate in prevention efforts for the community (e.g. sensitization campaigns) and individuals (e.g. always wearing a life jacket when on water and heeding weather forecasts and warnings on dangerous waves on lakes)’’ Dr. Kobusingye explained.
Dr. Olive Kobusingye, Senior Research Fellow and Head of the TRauma, Injury And Disability (TRIAD) Unit, Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH)
Citing multi-sectoral approach, Dr. Kobusingye stressed the importance of different sectors working together to prevent drowning.
‘’Multiple sectors need to work together to bring about effective drowning prevention, but so far every sector is on their own. Some of the key sectors are not engaged at all. The lack of consensus around a common strategy and plan means that little action is taken’’ she added.
Moving forward, Dr. Kobusingye advised government to prioritize the fishing industry by providing leadership, coordination capacity and working with the private sectors to prevent drowning.
Presenting findings of a two-phased countrywide survey on drowning at the webinar, Frederick Oporia, a Research Associate and PhD Fellow at Makerere University School of Public Health revealed that drowning is among the silent leading causes of injury-related deaths in the country, and the most affected are fishing communities.
Highlights of the findings
Frederick noted that in the first phase, a total of 1,435 fatal and non-fatal drowning cases were recorded in administrative sources of 60 districts; 1009 (70%) in lakeside districts and 426 (30%) in non-lakeside districts.
Frederick Oporia, Research Associate and PhD Fellow, MakSPH
’’In the seond phase, further exploration in just 14 districts out of the 60 was done. This phase involved community interviews. Through these interviews, a total of 2,066 new drownings were found, a number far higher than what was found recorded in administrative offices of 60 districts’’. he cited
Regarding demographics, he said fatal victims were predominantly male (85%), and mostly among the young adults with the average age of 24 years. Almost half (48%) of these drownings were related to an occupational activity. The study found that there was gross under-reporting of drowning incidents, partly because of the belief of most communities that drowning is ‘a will of God’ and so there’s no need to report what God has decided.
The majority (95%) of the people who drowned from a boating-related activity were not wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident.
To address these cases, Frederick revealed that MakSPH together with different stakeholders have developed the first ever National Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Strategy for Uganda. The strategy is hoped to guide all the efforts on drowning prevention in the country. As part of this strategy, he emphasized the importance of installing barriers to control access to high risk water sources, teaching children survival swimming skills, sensitization in communities to enhance behavioral change, safe boating and shipping regulations, training of first responders in safe search, rescue and resuscitation, building resilience and managing flood risks among others
In efforts to prevent drowning, Henry Ategeka, Principal Marines Inspector at the Ministry of Works and Transport revealed that the ministry has been donating some life jackets to police marines and some communities in dire need. He also said that there are plans by the government to strengthen laws around navigation to promote safety on Uganda’s water bodies.
As part of these plans, CP Ubaldo Bamunoba, the Commandant Marine Police said the country is in the process of unveiling a water safety strategy to curb drowning.
Mr. Ubaldo further revealed that his department is establishing several rescue centers at all major water bodies to support the rapid rescue operations. He also pointed out capacity building and marine training as one of the key mechanisms needed towards drowning prevention.
Mr. Sowed Suwagudde, Assistant Commissioner International Transboundary Water Resources, Ministry of Water and Environment
Mr. Sowed Suwagudde, Assistant Commissioner International Transboundary Water Resources at the Ministry of Water and Environment also stressed the need for partners to work together. “Water cuts across a number of sectors and if we are going to have success for our strategy, we will need to bring them all on board because they interact with the water environment.”
In his remarks, the WHO Uganda Country Office Representative, Dr. Fatunmbi Bayo Segun congratulated Uganda for marking the first ever World Drowning Prevention Day, adding that 2.5million drowning deaths in the last decade should remind everyone about the seriousness of the neglected injury. Moving forward, he emphasized the need for a multi-sectoral approach in reducing the burden of drowning.
In her closing remarks, the Minister of State for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees–Hon. Esther Anyakun acknowledged drowning as one of the leading causes of death, not just in Uganda but worldwide. She highlighted drowning as a silent burden with huge economic implications on the country thus calling for a multi-sectoral approach to counter it. She equally thanked Makerere University for taking lead in co-designing Uganda’s first drowning prevention strategy.
The webinar organised by Ministry of Water and Environment in Partnership with Makerere University attracted over 100 participants including policy makers, technical experts, researchers, civil society organizations, and researchers. Among issues discussed in a Q&A Session were causes of drowning, perceptions, laws, data, and policies around drowning. At this webinar, it was agreed by all participants that tackling drowning, a neglected injury needs a multi-sectoral approach where different sectors work together.
Makerere University School of Public Health, in collaboration with Jhpiego, invites applications for 49 short-term positions under the Scaling the Optimal Use of Multiple ACTs to Prevent Antimalarial Drug Resistance (STOP-AMDR) Project.
The short-term assignments will support data collection in Buikwe and Busia districts, with some national-level activities. Applicants are encouraged to review the requirements for their preferred position before applying.
Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), through the Africa-Europe Cluster of Research Excellence (CoRE) for Preparedness and Response to Pandemics and Shocks, has shared findings from its study of Uganda’s Mpox response with stakeholders in Kasese, Amuru, Nakasongola and Mayuge districts to strengthen district preparedness for future outbreaks.
The Africa-Europe CoRE is a partnership co-led by MakSPH and the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters at UCLouvain, Belgium. It brings together universities in Africa and Europe to strengthen research, training and preparedness for pandemics and other public health shocks.
The district-level dissemination meetings, held from 10 to 14 August 2026, brought together more than 100 local government, health and security officials, Village Health Teams, implementing partners and community representatives. The meetings enabled stakeholders to validate the district-level findings, identify practical actions and provide feedback for the study’s final analysis and national dissemination.
Mr. Philliam Jabim shares the Mpox response study findings with participants during the dissemination meeting in Nakasongola District on 12 August 2026.
Uganda confirmed its first two Mpox cases on 24 July 2024 at Bwera Hospital in Kasese District. The Ministry of Health declared an outbreak on 2 August 2024. As documented in the study, the response involved health workers, communities, local governments, security agencies, political leaders, and implementing partners.
In response to the outbreak, a MakSPH research team led by Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze, Dr. Rawlance Ndejjo, Dr. Steven Kabwama and Mr. Douglas Bulafu conducted a study in May 2025 to assess Uganda’s Mpox response, including its policies, interventions, strategies and challenges, and generate lessons to inform recovery and strengthen preparedness for future public health emergencies.
Using purposive sampling, the research team conducted 20 key informant interviews and five focus group discussions in each of the four districts, drawing perspectives from western Uganda in Kasese, northern Uganda in Amuru, central Uganda in Nakasongola and eastern Uganda in Mayuge.
Participants and the MakSPH research team at the Mpox response study dissemination meeting in Nakasongola District on 12 August 2026.
The study, titled Assessment of the Mpox Response in Uganda: Documenting Challenges, Lessons and Innovations to Strengthen Emergency Preparedness and Response Capacities, was funded by the Government of Uganda through the Makerere UniversityResearch and Innovation Fund (Mak-RIF).
“This study is helping us move beyond recounting the Mpox response to identifying the actions that districts and national partners can take before the next outbreak. By validating the findings with stakeholders who led and experienced the response, we are ensuring that the evidence reflects local realities and can inform stronger surveillance, risk communication, coordination and community engagement,” said Mr. Bulafu, who led the MakSPH team during the dissemination meeting in Amuru.
Mr. Douglas Bulafu engages participants during the Mpox response study dissemination meeting in Amuru District on 10 August 2026.
In Amuru, the 10 August meeting brought together over 25 stakeholders from the district health team, political leadership, security agencies, Village Health Teams, implementing partners and the community. On the same day, a second MakSPH team, led by Mr. Keneth Sebukeera and Mr. Filimin Niyongabo, convened stakeholders in Kasese for a parallel validation meeting. The consultations then continued in Nakasongola on 12 August and concluded in Mayuge on 14 August, extending the study’s engagement across all four districts.
Across the districts, stakeholders said the results reflected their experience during the outbreak. They pointed to strengths in leadership, coordination, community engagement and partner support, while also describing gaps in documentation, logistics, diagnostic access, staffing, risk communication, public trust and continuity of essential health services.
They also noted inconsistent implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) 7-1-7 target, which calls for detecting a suspected outbreak within seven days, notifying public health authorities within one day and completing early response actions within seven days.
The MakSPH research team, led by Mr. Keneth Sebukeera and Mr. Filimin Niyongabo, with participants during the Mpox response study dissemination meeting in Kasese District on 10 August 2026.
In Kasese, stakeholders highlighted gaps in documentation, financial and logistical resources, and human resources. They identified Village Health Teams and grassroots, religious and cultural leaders as important resources for community surveillance and risk communication. They called for stronger collaboration between technical and non-technical leaders, engagement with traditional healers, greater use of local radio for public sensitisation, and better facilitation of district epidemic response teams to reach distant communities.
Amuru participants called for proactive preparedness in the border district, citing misinformation and rumours as barriers to risk communication. They urged timely, accurate information from health workers and other authorities; training in disease surveillance and grant writing to strengthen capacity and resource mobilisation; and compassionate care, psychosocial support and community awareness to reduce stigma and support survivor reintegration.
During the meeting in Nakasongola, stakeholders identified Community Health Workers and Community Health Extension Workers as potential resources for strengthening community surveillance and addressing workforce shortages. Given the district’s position around Lake Kyoga and along the Kampala-South Sudan transit corridor, they also called for stronger documentation, note-taking and reporting, accurate real-time information, closer communication with the Ministry of Health, and collaboration among technical, political, religious and community leaders.
Ms. Eunice Vivian Asingo, Senior Nursing Officer at Nakasongola Health Centre IV, contributes to the discussion during the Mpox response study dissemination meeting in Nakasongola District on 12 August 2026.
Ms. Eunice Vivian Asingo, Senior Nursing Officer at Nakasongola Health Centre IV, called for a permanent, adequately resourced outbreak-management centre to help protect routine services during future epidemics. “We appeal for better facilities to manage epidemics and outbreaks. At Nakasongola Health Centre IV, spaces previously used for outbreak management have been repurposed for other services, and we have limited staff. During the Mpox response, colleagues assigned to manage patients later returned to the general team, creating fear among staff already under pressure,” she said.
In Mayuge, Dr. Basembeza highlighted leadership, coordination and surveillance structures operating from district to community level as important factors in the response. He said the structures enabled the district to receive and respond quickly to community alerts. “Whenever there is a rumour or an alert, we are able to respond. Within 20 minutes, we had a response because of the structure we have,” Dr. Basembeza said.
Based on the findings, the research team recommends increased preparedness financing, stronger community engagement, decentralised diagnostic services through stronger district laboratory capacity, and improved health information and research systems.
Across the four districts, stakeholders reaffirmed that trusted community structures and coordinated action across sectors are essential to strengthening outbreak preparedness.
Every academic year, a new group of students enters Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) with different professional backgrounds, questions and ambitions. For the School, each cohort adds to a growing community of professionals and researchers shaping public health practice, policy and research in Uganda and beyond.
On Friday, 7 August 2026, MakSPH held its orientation for newly admitted students for the 2026/2027 academic year at the MakSPH Auditorium. The orientation introduced students to the School’s academic programmes, leadership, departments, academic administration, student support services and expectations for university life.
For this academic year, ending July 2027, Makerere University admitted more than 370 students to academic programmes hosted at MakSPH. The intake comprised 75 students in the Bachelor of Environmental Health Science, the School’s only bachelor’s programme, 277 across the nine master’s programmes, and 21 across the two doctoral programmes, PhD by Research and PhD by Coursework and Research.
Dean Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze (centre) with MakSPH staff, student leaders and new students during orientation for the 2026/2027 academic year.
The master’s intake includes 103 students in the Master of Public Health by Distance Education, the highest enrolment for the year, followed by 59 in the Master of Public Health Full-Time. The remaining students joined programmes in Biostatistics, Environmental and Occupational Health, Health Informatics, Health Services Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, Nutrition, and Public Health Disaster Management. Together, the programmes reflect the breadth of knowledge and skills needed to address public health challenges and bring together students pursuing further training from diverse professional backgrounds.
Welcoming the new cohort, MakSPH Dean Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze urged students to approach their studies with purpose, discipline, and resilience, and focus on what they would be able to do with the knowledge and skills they acquire.
“Please find time to enjoy your journey. I know you’re looking ahead to exams and so many other pressures, but let this journey also be one that you enjoy in terms of what you learn and how you grow, so that you leave here better, not because of the paper that you took but because of the capability that you pick up during your time with us.”
MakSPH Dean Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze addresses new students at orientation for the 2026/2027 academic year, 7 August 2026, MakSPH Auditorium, urging them to value capability over paper.
The Dean’s message speaks to the different reasons students are beginning their journeys at MakSPH. For some, the opportunity is to build on professional experience and strengthen their capacity in roles they already hold. Among them is Dr. Judith Nalukwago, a dental surgeon, former 85th Vice Guild President of Makerere University, and Makindye Division III Lord Councillor, who serves as Executive Secretary for Education, Gender and Public Health at City Hall and the Office of the Lord Mayor.
“I am back here to study a Master’s in Public Health. I am very excited. I have a clinical background and have been practising as a clinician, and it has been a joyful experience. But when I joined the journey of leadership, there were challenges because, as Executive Secretary for Public Health in Kampala, we deal with everyday people’s health challenges,” said Dr. Nalukwago, adding:
“Now I am in management and leadership, and that posed a challenge to me as an individual. I asked myself, what course can I do to add to my skills? Where can I gain skills that can help me overcome this challenge while I am dealing with people? And I remembered that we have the School of Public Health at Makerere University.”
Watch: Dr. Judith Nalukwago on why she returned to MakSPH for a Master’s in Public Health:
Her experience during the Ebola response, when she served on the task force, further highlighted the need for broader public health knowledge. She said the training would strengthen her ability to contribute to policy and public health management, particularly in her role at City Hall, where councillors develop policies, bylaws, and ordinances.
For Mr. John Othieno, the motivation is similarly grounded in applying his training to practical problems. A Software Engineering graduate who previously completed a Master’s in Health Informatics at MakSPH, he has returned to pursue a PhD under the Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management. His research focuses on using technology and health informatics to address health-system challenges, including the adoption of picture archiving and communication systems for managing healthcare imaging and data. He said he wants his research to produce solutions that can be applied beyond academia.
“I purposed that, in my academic journey, I would not do research for the sake of having it gather dust on the shelves, but that it would actually be actionable research that can be translated into action, into solutions for our population,” he said.
Watch: Mr. John Othieno on why he returned to MakSPH to pursue a PhD in Public Health:
Nalukwago and Othieno reflect the diverse professional backgrounds that come together at MakSPH, where training, research, and community engagement have been central to the School’s work for over seven decades. Their journeys point to a sustained impact on public health education, seen not only in enrolment and graduate numbers but in the skills and expertise those graduates carry into policy, research, and health systems across Uganda and the region. At the close of the 2024/2025 academic year, MakSPH enrolled 1,140 students across 12 degree programmes, more than 90 percent of them in postgraduate training.
At Makerere University’s 76th Graduation Ceremony on 25 February 2026, MakSPH presented 231 graduates, comprising seven doctoral, 195 master’s and 29 bachelor’s graduates, adding to the health workforce within the region. Among the graduates was Dr. Harriet Aber, who completed her PhD on child substance use in Uganda’s health system and shared her experience with the new cohort during the orientation. She spoke candidly about the demands of postgraduate study and the need to remain positive through its challenges.
Dr. Harriet Aber, a MakSPH PhD graduate, shares her postgraduate journey with new students at orientation, 7 August 2026, MakSPH Auditorium, urging them to maintain a positive attitude through the challenges ahead.
“It’s not a rosy journey. You’re going to have so many moments where you celebrate, where you’re happy about something, but there are also several moments when maybe you’re stuck with the paper, you have to respond to comments, the proposal is not moving, the concept is not clear. Throughout all those processes, one of the things that you just have to maintain is having a positive attitude,” Aber affirmed.
Her experience offered the new cohort a glimpse of the journey ahead, while Prof. Wanyenze’s message focused on how they could make the most of it. The Dean urged students to plan ahead, pursue research opportunities, think independently, and use artificial intelligence responsibly, while seeking mentorship and making full use of the support and opportunities available at the School.
“Our students are our colleagues, and they are our future workmates. Many of them have ended up staying with us. And I know many of you are going to stay with us in the School,” the Dean said, urging students to take seriously the relationships they build with their classmates and faculty, because “we are a network that’s bound together in the same profession.”
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