General
Prof. Serwadda’s Nostalgic Student Life, Impactful Research and Joy of Mentoring Leaders
When Prof. Serwadda travelled to universities in the USA and other countries in the 1980s, he realised that students struggled to buy books in those countries. “They work in restaurants to be able to buy books and then I said oh My God, we were so privileged,” he says.
When Prof. David M. Serwadda joined Makerere University as a student pursuing a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in August of 1977, the University was offering the best to its students.
This was both in terms of the institutional environment for academia, students’ basic needs, and the general eco-environment. Halls of residence were less congested, for instance, Prof. Serwadda, who was a Livingstone resident, says he only shared a room in the first year.
Like any other student of his time, Prof. Serwadda had an account in the bookstore that would guarantee the purchase of any book that he wanted. “I would just go there, I pick this book, they deduct from my account. I would have in my bookshelf very many books,” he says. “I would be a second-year student, but buying books for third year because if you didn’t finish your account that year, when you get into the following year, you forfeit it and reset the account to zero.”
In a wide-ranging interview, Prof. Serwadda, who is retiring this year after 31 years of teaching, discusses his time at Makerere, the challenges and opportunities for the institution that is celebrating 100 years. Prof. Serwadda was in 1985 the lead author of a research paper entitled “Slim disease; a new disease in Uganda and its association with HTLV-II infection” published in The Lancet, one of the global top medical journals that first confirmed HIV/AIDS in Uganda.
When Prof. Serwadda travelled to universities in the USA and other countries in the 1980s, he realised that students struggled to buy books in those countries. “They work in restaurants to be able to buy books and then I said oh My God, we were so privileged,” he says.
When Prof. Serwadda travelled to universities in the USA and other countries in the 1980s, he realised that students struggled to buy books in those countries. “They work in restaurants to be able to buy books and then I said oh My God, we were so privileged,” he says.
A medical doctor and professor of infectious diseases at Makerere University School of Public Health, Serwadda is a co-founder of the Rakai Health Science Program (RHSP) which has in the past three decades pioneered research on the HIV/AIDS epidemic. He was the first Ugandan academic coordinator of the Masters of Public Health program at Makerere University School of Public Health. He also served as Director of Makerere Institute of Public Health from 2003 and 2007 and Dean from 2007 to 2009 when the Institute became a School.
In December 2019, he was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the World Population Council and in the same month he was elected together with 36 others among the world’s most accomplished scientists living in or focused on the developing world by The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).
1970 and today’s generation of students, lecturers
Contrasting students and staff activism of his time, Prof. Serwadda says it was the time of President Idi Amin, the third president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979 who had crushed Makerere’s activism spirit.
Prof. Serwadda says the current generation of students have more space for activism but also opportunities to succeed because they have more freedom, liberty, and multiple platforms through which to speak out and make their demands. “You have a highly energised and a much larger population of students that can easily be organised to rally against any grievance they have,” he says.
Whereas students of his generation seemed much more obedient, students of today know their rights and are likely to talk and make staff members and management more accountable which is good if it’s not disruptive.
Students of his time were always busy. They had many job offers. He mentions for instance that during his campus days, he would never have time to idle around. From first year, Prof. Serwadda says he was on study projects working, in laboratories and wards thus many students had no time to engage in activism. For instance in my fourth year of Medical School, under Professor Charles Olweny, I was a student during the day and a research assistant throughout the night and all weekends including Christmas at Uganda Cancer Institute. “It is my perception that we were much busier than students of today and I feel that current context has made students much more demanding and engaged in more advocacy,” he says.
Regarding research and funding, Prof. Serwadda says the current generation of students and lecturers have better prospects to succeed. The internet has levelled the communication space, and created huge opportunity for global networks for research and learning. For example, if an organisation sends out a research fellowship, or scholarship opportunity, any person across the world can access the call and apply. But in the old days, only those countries with a functioning post office would receive information in a timely manner. “A new journal would come in the library and we were all booking to read them. But now, you go on the internet and download your journal,” he says.
“The world is flatter for all of us than it was. There are more funding opportunities and much easier ability to access them,” he adds.
For lecturers, as they complain about salary increments, they also need to broaden their concerns and to talk about the need for resources for research, health insurance, and expanding facilities for teaching. “They are in large part always complaining about pay, pay, we need to systematically advocate for a more comprehensive research and learning environment,” he says.
Out of the gates of Makerere, beginning of research career
After graduation in 1982, Prof. Serwadda reminisced about his internship at Nsambya Hospital after which he later joined Mulago Hospital, a National Specialised Hospital which was and still is the teaching facility of Makerere University College of Health Sciences as a Medical Officer in the Uganda Cancer Institute, UCI, in 1983. In 1985, Dr. Serwadda enrolled as a Senior Health Officer (SHO), studying a Masters of Internal Medicine at Makerere University. He would later graduate in 1989. He says he had a dead year at Makerere which he spent in the United Kingdom, the UK studying Metabolic Medicine at Newcastle Upon Tyne Medical School.
Prof Serwadda’s research in HIV/AIDS began when he was working at the Cancer Institute between 1983 to 1985. The institute was receiving patients of “Kaposi Sarcoma,” a disease which causes plaque-like lesions on the upper arms and legs and also in aggressive form involves the lymph nodes, internal organs, and mucous membranes lining the mouth, nose, and throat as often is seen with individuals with immune deficiencies, such as AIDS. This was strange then because the clinical manifestations of Kaposi Sarcoma were at the time what was being seen in the United States of America where “men were having sex with men.”
More intriguing was, according to Prof. Serwadda, as time went on, almost all patients with aggressive Kaposi sarcoma that were admitted at UCI come from Masaka and Rakai districts.
“There used to be a surgeon called Mr. J.W Carswell, who linked us to a virologist in the UK called Dr. Robert Downing and we were able to send blood samples of some patients from Uganda Cancer Institute, some of whom were residents of Masaka and Rakai districts,” he says. “The results indicated that of the 25 samples I had sent, 4 were positive for HIV, which at the time was referred to as HTLV-III,” he adds.
Though the first cases of patients with Kaposi Sarcoma had first been identified in around 1982, these were the first blood tests to confirm HIV/AIDS in Uganda. Prof. Serwadda and his colleagues knew they were on to something big, hence they travelled to Masaka and Rakai–self funded–tested more blood samples which confirmed more positive cases, and then drafted a paper for The Lancet based on results from the tests. It would take months of back and forth communication with editors, through snail-mail given that there was no internet.
The paper was published in October 1985. The paper brought visibility for Prof. Serwadda which consequently had positive and negative impacts.
There was political resistance at the time from the Obote government when stories of patients with Kaposi sarcoma signs and symptoms started emerging. When local newspaper The Start, published on December 29, 1984, the headline “Mysterious disease Kills 100 people in Rakai” Ezra Nkwasibwe, the then minister of health in Obote II government sent out a team to investigate, they concluded that this was typhoid.
On the positive side, it brought recognition to the authors. Prof. Serwadda together with co-authors wrote a big proposal that was eventually funded to establish the Rakai Health Science Program (RHSP) in 1988. “It’s like when you have built a house, and you want to build another one, it’s easy to get funding,” he said, explaining how easy it becomes for researchers to get funding once they have established a reputation.
With significant funding over the years, he says they generated an impressive number of high-impact publications in the HIV/AIDS field which has enabled Uganda and the world to understand the dynamics of transmission better. But most importantly provided HIV prevention and care to over 200,000 clients in Rakai and the greater Masaka region.
Immense research output, nurturing leaders
During his three decades at Makerere University, Prof. Serwadda says he along with colleagues has contributed immensely to research, policy, and practice. This work has underpinned some of the significant contributions to the reduction of HIV transmission and acquisition, through treatment and prevention. Prof Serwadda has on several occasions been the recipients of annual awards from Makerere School of Public Health as the most prolific publisher. he says. “We have contributed our part in uplifting Uganda and Makerere University. Makerere University is known as a place one can do excellent medical research, however, we should and must increase our effort to invest in young researchers if it is to continue to have a top ranking.”
Prof. Serwadda says seeing his former students climbing ladders in academia and leadership gives him boundless joy. “Dean Rhoda Wanyenze was my student, I supervised her Masters of Public Health, we have done a number of projects together with her, and she is now the Dean, School of Public Health,” he says. Prof. Serwadda says there is no head of the Department at School of Public Health who has not been his student at the undergraduate, post graduate level. “Now they are my bosses and I like that. That is building for the future and that’s what Makerere is all about. Seeing my students in positions of effective leadership and being able to help where I can give me enormous satisfaction.”
General
Ambassador of Sweden to Uganda calls for full involvement of men and boys in achieving Gender Equality
The Ambassador of Sweden to Uganda Her Excellence Maria Håkansson has emphasized the need to fully engage men and boys in all the initiatives geared towards achieving Gender Equality in Uganda and other parts of the world. She said this on 28th November 2023 at a press conference organized by the Embassy of Sweden in close collaboration with Makerere University Gender Mainstreaming Directorate, UN Women and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to unveil the National Orange Pledge campaign and officially launch the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
The press conference was headlined by a Ugandan rapper and record producer Daniel Lubwama Kigozi, popularly known by his stage name Navio and his fellow from Sweden Jason Michael Bosak Diakité popularly known as Timbuktu. Over 200 students both male and female from Makerere University and other institutions of higher learning attended the press conference at Makerere University Rugby Grounds.
According to Her Excellence Maria Håkansson, Gender Equality cannot be achieved without involving men and boys to take their responsibilities and be the drivers of change. “For real change to happen, we need to change attitudes and norms that might cause Gender Based Violence, one of the social ills in Uganda and an extreme of gender inequality that occurs at all levels of society,” she said.
Referring to the national survey conducted in 2020, the Ambassador was concerned about the escalating burden of gender based violence in Uganda when she said, “the Survey highlighted that 95% of women and girls experience physical or sexual violence since the age of 15.”
She therefore emphasized the Global 16 Days of Activism as key international movement to increase awareness and advocate for an end to Gender Based Violence. The Ambassador also mentioned that preventing and responding to Gender Based Violence is a cornerstone for Sweden’s commitment to promote democracy, human rights and gender equality and this is done as an investment in a society that upholds the principles of equality, dignity and justice.
She acknowledged the full participation of university students in all campaigns and activities geared towards achieving gender equality as well as ending Gender Based Violence when she said, “You are the leaders of tomorrow and you have an opportunity to build a future where everyone can thrive. So please use today to take an active stand against Gender Based Violence.”
Every year Uganda joins the rest of the world to enhance the global campaigns on 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and also add a voice to the call for an end to violence against women and girls. These campaigns run from 25th November (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) until 10th December of the Human Rights Day.
The United Nations Secretary-General’s UNiTE by 2030 initiative calls for global action to increase awareness, galvanize advocacy efforts and share knowledge and innovations to help end all types of violence against women and girls. This year 2023, the UNiTE campaign theme is; Invest to Prevent Violence against Women & Girls.
Over the years, Makerere University through its Gender Mainstreaming Directorate and School of Women and Gender in partnership with UN Women and many other partners have been at the fore front to support the campaign on 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence in Uganda. This has been done through debates, theatre forums, student dialogues, thematic artistic presentations, media exposures, drama and music skits presentation, and student peer led discussions and quarterly competitions.
This year 2023, the University in partnership with the Embassy of Sweden, UN Women and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) unveiled the Orange Pledge. According to Eric Tumwesigye the Senior Gender Specialist at Makerere University Gender Mainstreaming Directorate, this campaign calls upon government, policymakers, activists, civil societies, academicians, students and all members of community from all parts of the country to make their heartfelt pledges towards ending Gender Based Violence in Uganda and the rest of the world.
The UN Women Country Representative Paulina Chiwangu recognized the investment Makerere University, the Embassy of Sweden and UNFPA have made to end violence against women and girls. “Thanks to our collective efforts, the silence that used to shroud violence against women has now been broken” said.
In the same spirit, she acknowledged the progress Makerere University has made in establishing and implementation of the University’s Policy and Regulations against Sexual Harassment to protect students and staff from potential abuses of power and conflict of interest. She also applauded the increased support and training for students and the strengthened mechanisms for investigations that allow students and staff to anonymously report sexual misconduct.
“We are however, aware that despite this, sexual harassment is still happening in the university and that not many students report to the authorities when they experience it. It is therefore, our humble appeal to the university leadership to continue monitoring the implementation of the Policy and Regulations Against Sexual Harassment, take all allegations of sexual harassment and violence seriously, ensure that all personnel have information on available support services and take action to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable.”
Reaffirming the University’s position in fighting GBV and particularly sexual harassment, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe was highlighted the various measures Makerere University has put in place to prevent and respond to Gender Based Violence. To him, the Policy and Regulations against Sexual Harassment; the appointment and capacity building for the Vice Chancellor’s Roster of 100 eminent people from the various colleges and administrative units; recruitment and training of the Gender Mainstreaming Programme Student Peer Trainers and setting up Sexual Harassment Investigation Committees are bigger milestones to celebrate.
He appreciated the move by the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate and all the partners to embrace entertainment and artistry as a critical advocacy and awareness tool to reach several communities especially the youth.
“We firmly believe in the transformative power of music and the arts in promoting social change. Music and art does serve as a powerful medium to advocate for the world free from violence especially violence against women,” said to Mr. Dainel Alemu, the UNFPA Deputy Country Representative.
“It is heartening to see artists like Navio taking a stand and using their influence to challenge harmful norms. As we revel in the beats and melodies, let us not forget he underlying message that everyone , regardless of gender, has a role to play in fostering a world where everyone is free from shackles of gender based violence,” he added.
Speaking at the Press Conference at Makerere University Rugby Grounds, Navio said that for the 20 years he has been an activist of Gender Based Violence, he has faced the reality of many young girls and women in Uganda being victims of sex and physical abuse. He therefore sent a huge condemnation to men especially artists that who are perpetrators of Gender Based Violence and called for serious government action and clear policies and laws against such injustices.
Navio applauded the women and men who have stood tall over the years to fight against Gender Based Violence in Uganda when he said, “ As we launch the 16 days activism in Uganda and through these pledges we are making, let us be accountable for our actions. For long in our cultures, men have considered force and violence as power and protection. They have been tough to their children hence instilling fear to the extent that the children cannot freely interact with them on serious matters such as abuse and torture.”
He applauded all families that have adopted the new parenting model of free conversations and interaction hence encouraging children to freely open up whenever they have challenges. Navio also acknowledged the role of his mother Mrs Maggie Kigozi as a human rights activist and a champion in fighting against Gender Based Violence in Uganda.
Jason Michael Bosak Diakité popularly known as Timbuktu from Sweden appreciated the wider platform provided by the music industry globally for artists to act as role models and champion of change. The rapper highlighted the need to respect women for their roles and support towards community development.
“I am a son and it is extremely important for me to respect my mother and all women. Also being a father to a beautiful daughter, I am always eager and looking forward to seeing the best future for her. I want daught to grow up in the world where she is able to feel safe and be allowed to freely associate without being discriminated or threatened because of her gender,” he said.
By Bernard Buteera
On Saturday 2nd December 2023, all roads led to Achukudu Community Primary School in Napak District, Karamoja sub-region, as the Scholars and Alumni of Mastercard Foundation at Makerere University commemorated their Scholars’ Annual Day of Community Service (Giveback). The 2023 Scholars Annual Day of Community Service was held at Achukudu Community Primary School, Napak District in the Karamoja sub-region. Established in 2013, Achukudu Community School serves two ethnic communities—The Iteso and Karamojong.
With a total population of 1,097 pupils only three government-paid teachers, and nine community-paid teachers, the School faces a plethora of challenges. Key among the challenges is the lack of Classrooms, decent Ventilated Pit Latrines, and Desks. Therefore when the Scholars identified the School as one that deserved to be given a gift of a classroom block, it was a befitting choice!
The Scholars with support from the alumni, the Program Team, Members of the Steering Committee, and partners of the Scholars Program at Makerere University intervened by constructing a two-classroom block, which was supervised by one of the alumni who is an Engineer. Alongside the classroom block, the Scholars also provided 40 desks, helping the school meet UNEB Center eligibility criteria.
While presiding over the event, the area member of Parliament, Hon. John Bosco Ngoya, thanked the Scholars and alumni community at Makerere University for supporting the young pupils of Achukudu Primary School and the entire community by gifting them with a two-classroom block.
“Thank you Scholars and alumni of Mastercard Foundation at Makerere University for the Christmas gift of a classroom block to the young people and the entire community of Achukudu. This classroom block will go a long way in improving the learning environment of the young children of Achukudu primary school.” Hon. Ngoya pointed out.
Hon. Ngoya called upon other people to emulate the Scholars and alumni of the Mastercard Foundation in embracing the spirit of giving back to the vulnerable people in the community. On his part, he donated One Million Five hundred shillings (1,500,000/=) to help the School purchase more desks, and he had earlier contributed One million shillings (1,000,000/=) towards the construction of the classroom block.
The District Education Officer (DEO) for Napak District, Ms. Joyce Nakoya, praised the Scholars Community for embracing and practicing the spirit of giving back to other people at an early age.
“Thank you Scholars and alumni of the Mastercard Foundation at Makerere for embracing the spirit of giving back to other people at such an early age. If all people gave back to the less privileged in our communities, we would have a better world for everyone.” Ms. Nakoya pointed out.
Ms. Nakoya further pointed out every child deserves to study in a decent environment, therefore it was a befitting cause for the Scholars to construct a classroom block for the young pupils of Achukudu community primary school, who were studying in open grass thatched classrooms.
The Program Manager of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University, Ms. Jolly Okumu who led the team of Scholars, alumni, and staff to Karamoja thanked the community of Achukudu for supporting the Scholars to deliver the class block by contributing to the construction sand.
“We come here today to join with you as a community driven by a shared commitment to education, empowerment, and ethos of giving back. Today is a historic occasion as we celebrate the completion and commissioning of the classroom block, which is a remarkable testament to the transformative power of education and our unwavering spirit of community service.” Ms. Jolly remarked.
The President of the Scholars Association, Mr. Godfrey Okello, thanked all the Scholars and alumni, and all stakeholders who contributed to the construction of the classroom block, which was a dream that became a reality.
“I would like to thank my colleagues and people of goodwill who supported us to realize our dream of constructing this classroom for our young brothers and sisters of Achukudu Primary School. Together we can make a difference in the lives of our fellow young people in Uganda and Africa as a whole.” Mr. Okello remarked.
The Headteacher of the School, Mr. Eryebu Raymond, who was visibly very excited was full of praises for Scholars and alumni of the Mastercard Foundation, for what he termed as an iconic classroom block they had gifted to his School.
“This day is very special to us, we will not see this day again. We are delighted to receive the Scholars and alumni of Mastercard Foundation from Makerere University, thank you for considering supporting our School” Mr. Eryebu excitedly remarked.
The Headteacher revealed that one of the major challenges the school was facing was an acute shortage of classrooms for his 1,097 pupils. He was therefore grateful to Mastercard Foundation Scholars for choosing to construct a two-class block for the School.
“This donation of a classroom block and Desks is a testament to your commitment to education and empowering the lives of the vulnerable people in the community. This classroom block and desks will go a long way in improving the quality of teaching and learning at our school.” Mr. Eryebu further remarked.
The 2023 Scholars Annual Day of Community Service (Giveback) was punctuated with a lot of joy, pomp, and fanfare, as the pupils and the entire community of Achukudu danced and ululated at the commissioning of the classroom block. The construction of the classroom block and purchase of desks for Achukudu Community Primary School was made possible by generous contributions by the Scholars, alumni, the Program Team, and members of the Steering Committee.
Among the Partners who made financial contributions towards the class block construction included; DFCU Bank, Post Bank, URA, Katumba Estates, Footsteps Furniture Ltd, and Sion Travels Ltd.
The Scholars and Alumni Day of Community Service (Give back) is an annual event, where Scholars and alumni of the Mastercard Foundation go out into the community to give back by providing solutions to challenges that a particular community is facing. Over the years Scholars have given back to the communities in numerous ways that range from offering professional services and erecting major projects like classroom blocks.
Bernard Buteera is the Communications and Public Relations Officer of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University.
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