Dr. Rawlance Ndejjo, the SPICES Project Coordinator (L) consults with the PI Dr. Geofrey Musinguzi (R) at the Dissemination workshop held on December 8th 2021 at Colline Hotel, Mukono.
Africa continues to record the highest prevalence of hypertension globally. Studies show that Uganda’s hypertension prevalence stands at 26.4% and public health experts are worried that rising prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) should be curbed lest it contributes to the disease burden.
In Africa, just like other low- and middle-income countries, the burden of disease is transitioning from infectious diseases to NCDs and the World Health Organisation predicts that they are likely to become a major health system challenge in Africa as they are predicted to become the leading cause of death in the region by 2030.
Studies estimate Uganda’s NCDs prevalence at 33 in every 100 people die of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The prevalence of hypertension for instance among adults stands at 26.4% with the highest prevalence in central Uganda (28.5%) which hosts Mukono and Buikwe districts.
In Mukono and Buikwe districts, among persons aged 15 years and above, the age standardized prevalence of hypertension is 27.2%.
Makerere University School of Public Health has for close to three (03) years now been impacting the communities in Mukono and Buikwe districts through its project; Cardiovascular Disease prevention program -Scaling -up Packages for Interventions for Cardiovascular diseases prevention in selected sites in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa (SPICES) Uganda.
The SPICES project focuses on prevention of diseases of the heart and blood vessels. The project has conducted a comprehensive study at both health facility level and community level where a number of community workers and health workers from randomly selected villages and health facilities in Mukono and Buikwe have been trained in cardiovascular disease prevention and control.
So far, a total of 366 health workers and 80 community health workers (CHWs/VHTs) received training. In addition, the project provided the health centers with equipment to support screening and management of cardiovascular diseases. The project team has, with support of health facilities been involved in screening CVD risk, care and management as well as health promotion and profiling at community level.
As a result of this intervention, there are higher volumes of hypertension and diabetes patients being received as a result of sensitization by the community health workers. There are also reports of changes in behavior in lifestyles especially diet and physical activity as well as improved patient health seeking behaviors for chronic services.
For instance, while presenting results at a dissemination workshop held on December 8th 2021 at Colline Hotel in Mukono district, Dr. Geofrey Musinguzi, the Principal Investigator of the SPICES Project expressed that the project has had significant impact in terms of knowledge changes, and in terms of profiles.
SPICES project Principal Investigator Dr. Geofrey Musinguzi in an interview with journalists immediately after the dissemination in Mukono on Wednesday.
“Much as the prevalence of smoking didn’t seem to change, there was a change in frequency of smoking. For example, those who were smoking daily, we saw a reduction from 2018/19 to 2021,” says Dr. Musinguzi.
He adds that there was a significant difference in passive smoking. “Passive smoking is as dangerous as active smoking. At the baseline, people were smoking and exposing their love ones to tobacco but when they were trained from the health facilities and from the community on the dangers of smoking and passive smoking. So, we have seen an attitude of people in families where people are smoking, of if they can’t avoid smoking, doing it away from their families.”
Arising out of the successes of the project so far, Dr. Rhoda Wanyenze, Professor and Dean of Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) has asked government and the Ministry of Health in particular to support noncommunicable diseases care in the districts of Mukono and Buikwe.
Prof. Wanyenze who is also co-principal investigator of the project SPICES project intervention in Mukono and Buikwe could be used as a yardstick to pick lessons for the Ministry of Health to extend the services to other parts of the country.
Dr. Rhoda Wanyenze, Professor and Dean of Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) and SPICES project Co-Principal Investigator.
“We can use this as a learning hub so that we can also get the other regions that do not have the standard for NCD care at the level that we have in these districts. Let us maintain it because it is an opportunity for us to show that it is doable, that we can do something about NCDs and that others can learn something from these districts and facilities and we can do better across the country,” Professor Wanyenze said.
Tereza Ssenjova, a resident of Busabala Mukono said; “I used to be diagnosed with fever, yet I did not have it. Not until recently through SPICES screening that I was told I have high blood pressure and diabetes.”
Prof. Wanyenze urged for the Ministry of Health to rally Ugandans, the leadership at all levels to aggressively advocate for a safer population by preventing and reducing cardiovascular diseases.
“Please do speak about NCDs like the way we speak about COVID-19 lately and the way we have been speaking about other diseases. Encourage people to screen. If there is an opportunity, why not have a machine around you in your place so that you can encourage people to screen periodically. Think of how you can creatively encourage the communities to screen, so that we can discover these diseases early and be able to do something,” says Prof. Wanyenze.
Dr. Gerald Mutungi, assistant Commissioner Health Services- Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) department at the Ministry of Health admits that cardiovascular diseases are on a rise but hastens to add that they can be prevented.
“What we have found out is that the communities, once educated, sensitized can come for screening, but also can follow some of the guidelines given to prevent cardiovascular diseases. This has been shown and we have the data now,” Dr. Mutungi says.
Dr. Gerald Mutungi, the Assistant Commissioner, Non-Communicable Diseases Department, Ministry of Health
Dr. Mutungi welcomes the results and noted that government will scale-up the interventions.
“We are in evidence-based policy and decision making. This is going to influence our policy. We had already started sensitizing VHTs but we were not sure that actually they can play a big role in prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Now this study is showing that yes, they can. We thought they could only support in distributing bed nets, simple things but they have shown us that they can do a lot in prevention and control of diseases,” he said.
Dr. Musinguzi said the project has had a multi-component intervention including health promotion, screening, training among others.
“We think that this intervention can reach many people. I gave an example of the talking T-Shirt. It has the modifiable risk factors. ‘don’t smoke’, ‘do more exercise’, ‘reduce/avoid alcohol,’ ‘maintain a healthy weight’, ‘go for checkup’ ‘control stress’, ‘eat healthy diet’ among others. In fact, we got reports from VHTs that the messages were received by the population. So, we think all ways of delivering messages must be explored to be able to enhance awareness about CVDs and other NCDs,” Dr. Musinguzi contends.
Hajat Fatuma Ndisaba Nabitaka, the Resident District Commissioner for Mukono district.
hailed the SPICES project team for the “wonderful research” and requested the project to include Buvuma and Kayunga districts on the study scope.
“I thank you so much for training the VHTs and our health workers around Mukono and Buikwe districts. This is very good,” said Hajat Nabitaka.
She underscores the need for continued sensitization of the population with a view of changing mindsets to be able to fully realise the benefits.
“Some people think these are diseases of the rich people. Not knowing that even a child in primary school can get diabetes. Not knowing that even an ordinary person in community can get pressure due to the various stress factors. Let us utilize the VHTs to solve many problems including social societal problems such as stress,” Hajat Nabitaka.
Dr. Rawlance Ndejjo, the SPICES Project coordinator said the project has been able to enroll 23 health facilities where it has greatly impacted lives.
He adds that the dissemination is; “a great opportunity to share what we have been doing in field with the rest of the world.”
Dr. Rawlance Ndejjo, the SPICES Project coordinator
Some health facilities have have adopted strategies to acquire hypertension and diabetes drugs, and all enrolled facilities are now able to identify and manage Type 1 diabetes, unlike in the past.
SPICES project is currently implemented in Uganda, South Africa, France, Belgium and the United Kingdom. It is an implementation science project funded by the European Commission through the Horizon2020 research and innovation.
Mukono and Buikwe district Health workers and community health workers (CHWs/VHTs) in a group photo with SPICES project Principal Investigator Dr. Geofrey Musinguzi and Dr. Gerald Mutungi, the Assistant Commissioner, Non-Communicable Diseases Department, Ministry of Health at a Dissemination workshop on December 8th 2021 at Colline Hotel, Mukono.
The Makerere University School of Public Health 2025 Annual Report documents a defining year in the School’s institutional journey. Effective January 2025, MakSPH attained stand-alone status within Makerere University, recognising seven decades of growth in public health training, research, policy engagement and community service. The transition gives the School greater focus and institutional agility to respond to Uganda’s and Africa’s evolving health priorities.
During the 2024/2025 academic year, MakSPH had more than 1,000 students across 12 degree programmes and different years of study. It presented 269 graduands at Makerere University’s 75th Graduation Ceremony, more than 80 per cent at graduate level, while 12 doctoral candidates successfully defended their studies. Training remained closely connected to practice through eight district field-training sites and student participation in outbreak response, disease surveillance and community-based public health action.
The School produced more than 350 peer-reviewed publications. Its evidence informed national and global action across HIV, tuberculosis, maternal and newborn health, antimicrobial resistance, health systems, climate change, urban health, injuries and noncommunicable diseases. MakSPH’s contribution to the PURPOSE 1 trial supported evidence showing more than 99 per cent protection from twice-yearly injectable lenacapavir, while locally led programmes expanded HIV screening, prevention and referral services for underserved populations.
This work was sustained through partnerships with government, communities, funders, universities and implementation agencies. MakSPH’s research and training network extended across more than 35 African countries, while longstanding collaborations were renewed and new institutional relationships established. Strong research governance, unqualified audits and positive due-diligence assessments continued to reinforce partner confidence in the School’s ability to manage complex national and multi-country programmes with accountability.
Construction of the new MakSPH building on Makerere University Main Campus advanced during 2025, with completion targeted for 2026. Designed as a modern public health hub, the facility will expand teaching and specialised laboratory space, strengthen digital learning and research, and provide improved environments for students, faculty, innovation and collaboration.
These achievements reflect the shared contribution of faculty, staff, students and partners. Guided by its 2025–2030 Strategic Plan, MakSPH remains committed to training public health leaders, generating evidence that informs policy and practice, strengthening health systems and improving health in Uganda, across Africa and beyond.
The post holder will be required to provide nursing care to patients attending IDC, provide health education and advise to patients and their family members, provide translation whenever necessary, guide in clinical practice and duties of other nurses. Participate in clinical research studies.
Key Responsibilities
Provides nursing care to patients attending the IDC
To provide clinical care including triaging, clinical assessment of patients of patient’s problems, investigations to HIV/AIDS patients attending IDI-supported health facilities in line with standard treatment guidelines.
Assist in management of very sick patients brought in Urgent care with knowledge, skills and Support appropriate referral of complex patients’ through liaison with immediate team members, senior clinicians and other specialized facilities.
Lead education and facility sensitization efforts to continuously build knowledge among clients and the attendants at Urgent care and the general clinic.
Participate in identification, implementation and documentation of continuous quality improvement activities along client care and treatment.
Assists medical doctors in carrying out clinical procedures.
Provides translation services to visiting medical doctors as required
Ensures patient flow in the clinic ( IDC)
Performs quality assurance and quality control (QA/AC) to ensure completeness of source documents.
Participates in giving Medicines when required.
Checks medical supply stock and ensures procedure charts are fully equipped
Guides the clinical practice and duties of other nursing staff
Participates as a full member of the IDC health care team
Attends clinic staff meetings on a daily basis as available
Participate whenever requested to do so in clinic research studies.
Participate in compilation and submission of accurate activity reports according to the set guidelines.
This job description is not exhaustive and the post holder will need to be flexible and to undertake such other duties as may become necessary with the development of the Infectious Diseases Institute.
Academic Qualifications
Diploma or Bachelors Degree in Nursing
Full and active registration with the Uganda Nurses and Midwives council (Valid general practice license).
Person Specification
Completion of Nurses Training in a recognized educational institution with Diploma/ Bachelors
Minimum of 3 years work experience in a clinical setting
Full and active registration with the Uganda Nurses and Midwives council (Valid general practice license).
Self- motivated and capable of meeting deadlines.
Excellent communication skills.
Good interpersonal skills and able to interact productively with other team members.
More details
Job Code: NPCT001 No of Positions: 1 Station: IDI-Mulago Classification: Full-time Duration: 1 Months Reports to: NURSE TEAM LEAD Posted Date: 2026-07-06 09:06:27.000 Closing Date: 2026-07-19 17:00:00.000
Across Kampala, families use saucepans, cooking pots, frying pans, kettles, and pressure cookers every day. Makerere University School of Public Health is now investigating whether some of these items may expose households to lead, a toxic heavy metal that can enter food during cooking if contaminated materials are used to make them.
The year-long study, titled “Assessment of Lead Contamination in Domestic Cookware, Supply Chains, and Exposure Pathways in Informal Settlements of Kampala,” was launched on 11 June 2026 at MakSPH’s ResilientAfrica Network (RAN) in Kololo. Supported through the Lead Exposure Elimination Project (LEEP), with funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, and led by Mr. Douglas Bulafu, Mr. Tom Okade, and Dr. Rawlance Ndejjo, the study will assess total and leachable lead levels in commonly used cookware, map how the products are sourced, distributed, and sold, and identify feasible interventions to reduce household exposure to lead.
Ms. Prossy Nabaggala, Senior Standards Officer at the Uganda National Bureau of Standards, pictured centre, consults with study co-investigators Mr. Tom Okade and Mr. Douglas Bulafu during the launch of MakSPH’s study on possible lead exposure from domestic cookware in Kampala.
Today, lead remains a major and preventable public health concern globally. WHO reports that no level of exposure is known to be without harmful effects and estimates that lead exposure contributes to more than 3.5 million deaths worldwide, mainly through cardiovascular effects. Children and women of child-bearing age are said to be especially vulnerable, with exposure linked to impaired brain development, reduced learning ability, harm to unborn children, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and kidney damage.
In Uganda, lead exposure concerns also extend to household products and informal markets. Aluminium pots and saucepans, particularly low-cost locally fabricated items, may be made from recycled scrap metal. If contaminated materials are used, lead may leach into food during cooking or other food-contact use, creating a possible route of exposure in homes.
During the launch, Assoc. Prof. David Musoke, Head of MakSPH’s Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, underscored the importance of involving stakeholders throughout the research process. He said engaging stakeholders from the generation of research ideas to implementation and dissemination helps ensure findings do not remain within the University but are translated into evidence that can inform policy, practice, and community action.
“We engage with stakeholders throughout the research process, from developing ideas and designing projects to implementation and dissemination,” Dr. Musoke noted. “I am pleased that this workshop brings together policymakers, the Ministry of Health, non-governmental organisations, Kampala Capital City Authority, academia, staff and students. This helps ensure that research findings do not remain at the University but are beneficial to our stakeholders.”
Assoc. Prof. David Musoke delivers remarks during the study launch, emphasising sustained stakeholder engagement to ensure research findings inform policy, practice and community action.
He observed that the study was timely, as it addresses an important yet under-examined public health concern, arguing that while lead exposure from paint, pipes and drinking water has received considerable attention, exposure through cookware remains less understood despite its widespread use in many households. He added that the new research builds on MakSPH’s broader work in disease control and environmental health and will generate critical evidence to inform action on lead exposure risks in Uganda. Dr. Musoke also commended the study team for initiating this work.
Previously, MakSPH researchers Mr. Abdullah Ali Halage, Mr. Tom Okade, Dr. James Muleme and Dr. Juliet Kiguli, together with Mr. Ahmada Zziwa and Mr. Robert Mugabi, assessed knowledge, perceptions and practices related to heavy metal contamination and health risks among residents living near Kiteezi in Kampala, Katikolo in Mukono and Nkumba in Entebbe. The study, done in 2024, reached 505 residents and captured community and frontline perspectives from people living and working around the dumpsites. It showed how daily contact with dumpsite environments may expose communities to toxic heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury through soil, water, air, food crops, animal products and waste-handling practices.
Evidence from the study, funded by the Government of Uganda through the Makerere University Research and Innovation Fund (MakRIF) and disseminated on 26 June 2025, showed that heavy metal exposure risks around the three municipal dumpsites within the Kampala Metropolitan Area were shaped by both environmental conditions and community behaviour.
Dr. Sabrina Kitaka, Member of the MakRIF Grant Management Committee, pictured centre, with research team members including Mr. Abdullah Ali Halage, Mr. Tom Okade and Dr. Juliet Kiguli, following the dissemination of findings on heavy metal exposure risks around Kampala Metropolitan dumpsites on 26 June 2025.
Although residents lived near dumpsites where waste can release heavy metals into soil, water and food chains, 76.4 per cent could not define heavy metals, and only 45.9 per cent had adequate knowledge of contamination and related health risks. Gaps extended to daily exposure pathways, with 38.4 per cent unaware that vegetables grown near dumpsites may contain high heavy metal levels and 39.8 per cent unaware that milk or meat from animals grazed near dumpsites may also be contaminated. More than half viewed dumpsite soils as fertile, 50.7 per cent considered such milk safe, and 51.3 per cent believed dumpsite waste could be used as manure.
The study recommended stronger risk communication, environmental monitoring, safer land-use enforcement and community education. The work on lead in domestic cookware now extends this focus from dumpsite-related heavy metal exposure to a possible household pathway. Mr. Douglas Bulafu, an early-career researcher and Principal Investigator of the study, said the team will examine whether commonly used cooking pots, saucepans and related utensils contribute to exposure, and generate evidence to guide safer cookware use, standards and market oversight.
“Lead contamination has been documented from sources such as paint, fuel and air pollution, but less attention has been given to cookware as a potential pathway of exposure. That is the gap this study seeks to address,” Mr. Bulafu said. “We focused on Kampala because it has many informal settlements, small-scale cookware workshops and a large consumer market where low-cost cookware is widely produced, sold and used. When people buy these products, they often do not know where they were made, what materials were used, or whether they contain lead. The supply chains are also poorly understood, meaning households could be exposed without knowing.”
Mr. Douglas Bulafu, Principal Investigator, speaks during the launch of the MakSPH study on possible lead exposure from domestic cookware in Kampala, highlighting the need for evidence to guide safer cookware use, standards and market oversight.
The study will use a cross-sectional, mixed-methods design to connect laboratory evidence with supply-chain realities in Kampala’s informal settlements. The team will purchase about 100 cookware samples from open-air markets, roadside vendors, retail shops and supermarkets in Kisenyi, Katanga, Bwaise, Namuwongo, Banda and Kasubi, test them for total and leachable lead, and conduct about 30 key informant interviews across the supply chain to understand how cookware is sourced, produced, distributed and used.
Findings will be validated with stakeholders and used to identify feasible interventions, including stronger regulation and enforcement, raw-material control, better manufacturing practices, market surveillance and consumer awareness. The evidence is expected to support standards development, product testing, policy uptake, safer manufacturing practices and public guidance on cookware choices, helping reduce household exposure to lead and associated health risks.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Didacus Namanya, a health geographer and environmental health expert, welcomed the study, saying scientific evidence on lead exposure is critical because public health decisions can have lasting consequences for life and wellbeing.
Dr. Namanya implored the research team to ensure the evidence from the study informs decisions beyond academia, shaping policy, strengthening public health practice and guiding practical measures to reduce lead exposure in communities. He emphasised that research should not remain in the “ivory tower” but reach decision-makers and the public, so that evidence from the study translates into policy, practice and stronger protection for communities.
Dr. Didacus Namanya, speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Health, delivers remarks during the study launch on 11 June 2026, urging the research team to ensure evidence on lead exposure informs policy, practice and practical community protection measures.
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