It was in 1980 when Mr. Rudolf Buga, 65 attained Certificate in Medical Laboratory Technology (CMLT) of Makerere University that his dream of becoming a laboratory expert was in sight.

36 years later, he has decided it’s time to take a break. He has decided to hang up his lab coat and concentrate on his retirement after serving the century-old and Uganda’s premier institution-Makerere University as a Chief Technician.

Mr. Buga, started his career at the Central Public Health Laboratories Mulago Hospital National Referral Hospital working then as Technician Grade I.

He however never thought of ever joining Makerere University but as luck would have it, he inevitably joined Makerere University and out of hard work and utilising capacity building opportunities at his disposal, Mr. Buga rose through the ranks in the first 12 years of employment. This, he said while giving his remarks at a farewell luncheon organized by the Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health of MakSPH on Thursday December 2, 2021.

“I joined Makerere University in 1985 in the department of Parasitology and Microbiology in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine then. And It was that department that I could give most of the credit to because it brought me through a lot of training here and there by sending me for further training and that is how I managed to reach the highest level of the technical staff within 12 years,” he said.

A colorful farewell ceremony held at Piato Restaurant in Kampala was fairly attended by MakSPH faculty, students and staff plus Mr. Buga and his family.

Joining MakSPH

In May 1998, following his dedicated service to Makerere University, Mr. Buga was promoted to a position of Chief Technician, the highest rank in laboratory management in Makerere University.

This promotion came with a transfer at the Institute of Public Health, now School of Public Health, a move he says was the best.

He says he has no regrets forever joining Makerere University, since he has been able to uplift himself a Diploma Holder, Bachelor of Science, and Masters in Science all through Makerere University. “I really would like to greatly thank Makerere University for having given me all that,” he says.

When he joined the School of Public Health in 1998, then as an institute of Public Health, Mr. Buga says he had very high hopes of finding a huge lab to manage.

“Reaching there, I found the lab was not at the level I expected. And I really wanted to build it up but because of the financial constraints of the University, we were not able to equip it at the level I would have wanted. But with the little we had and with a lot of improvising,” he recalls.  

Mr. Buga expressed his heartfelt gratitude for all the good things that he achieved and went through while at the College of Health Sciences, under which MakSPH falls.

“During my stay here in the School of Public Health, I think I have been given the best I expected,” he said.

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Video: MakSPH’s Rudolf Buga retires after 36 years of dedicated service