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MUCHAP Updates Synopsis February 2023

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MUCHAP, the Makerere University Center for Health and Population Research is a research and research training platform owned by Makerere University. MUCHAP runs and manages the Population-based Cohort of Iganga Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance Site (IMHDSS). The goal of the research platform is to provide longitudinal population-based
social-economic and health data to monitor, track important health indicators and population changes that allows evidence-based decision-making for planning and policy development.

Ongoing Studies and Projects

  • Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling (MITS) study – is aimed at determining the cause of death using MITS. Target population is children under five (5) years.
  • ‘EMERALD’ quantitative study – Targeting 5,000 women of reproductive age who have had a
    pregnancy in the last 2 years, it is aimed at assessing the health care capacity for disabled women in the study area.
  • Adolescent health study – targeted 1,200 boys and girls between the ages of ten (10) and nineteen (19), to determining the reproductive life-style of adolescents, substance use and nutrition practices.
  • Data linkage system – for morbility surveillance. It includes the HDSS population served by Busowobi Health Center III Iganga.
  • NIRA-MUCHAP death registration study – a partnership to harmonize and improve death registration in a selected population under the surveillance area of IMHDSS.
  • Excess mortality study – to characterize all-cause (and cause-specific) mortality rates and trends, by age and sex, across a range of rural and urban settings under continuous health and demographic surveillance in order to understand the excess mortality of the COVID-19 pandemic in key LMICs.
  • RELAB-HS/USAID Network of Care (NoC) project – purpose is to strengthen the health system in relation to provision of rehabilitation services and care for persons with disabilities identified from the HDSS community.
  • IDAIR- Citizen Science study – an artificial intelligence (AI) research using citizen participatory approaches for pandemic preparedness and response.

Scientific Conferences and On-site Engagements

  • Makerere University Joint Annual Scientific Health (JASH) Conference: MUCHAP had one oral presentation and three Poster presentations.
  • Excess mortality data-analysis workshop: Took place at Wits School of Public Health in Johannesburg, South Africa from 28th November to 2nd December 2022.
  • Conference on Public Health In Africa (CPHIA) organised by Africa CDC: Was held from 13th
    to 15th December 2022 in Rwanda and brought together African researchers and scholars to showcase research outputs on public health challenges including COVID-19 and Ebola.

Other MUCHAP Engagements

  • MUCHAP participated in the WHO/MoH national polio immunization assessment survey using Lot Quality Assurance Sampling method (LQAS). Field Surveyors were trained and deployed in various districts across the country to collect household-level data.
  • In August 2022, MUCHAP was engaged in a research collaboration to establish a network of care for persons with disability.
  • MUCHAP plans to establish a community laboratory. The building was built with funding from Pfizer International. Makerere Biomedical Research Centre (MakBRC) visited the offices to assess the feasibility of supporting the completion of the laboratory. The laboratory will support preprocessing and storage of samples for various biomedical research studies utilizing the MUCHAP platform.

Highlight on Finances

Snapshot of Outputs

  • Reproductive health outcomes during COVID-19 years in Rural Uganda
  • Excess mortality during the pandemic

Mark Wamai

Health

Call For Applications: MakNCD Masters and PhD Training Opportunities

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An aerial photo of the College of Health Sciences (CHS), Makerere University showing Left to Right: The Sir Albert Cook Memorial Library, School of Biomedical Sciences, Davies Lecture Theatre, School of Public Health, Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal Hospital (MSWNH)-Background Left and Nakasero Hill-Background Right, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

The Makerere University Non-Communicable Disease (MAK-NCD) Research Training Program is a research capacity building program based at Makerere University College of Health Sciences with collaboration at John Hopkins University and funded by the United States National Institute of Health-Fogarty International Centre (D43TW011401). The overall goal of this training program is to develop a comprehensive mentored research-training program in Uganda that will build local capacity to address the challenges of NCD control and management and promote the use of research findings to inform decision-making and policy.

PhD Fellowship

The PhD fellowship support is for up to three (3) years (full-time), subject to annual performance reviews and progress milestones. Successful scholars will be registered at Makerere University and may undertake sponsored didactic research methods training at the Johns Hopkins University (JHU), USA, to receive additional skills development and mentorship in NCD research. This call is targeting mainly junior researchers with interest in building an independent research career in noncommunicable diseases research with focus on Epidemiology, Data Science and Implementation Science research to strengthen evidence-based interventions, policy and control in Uganda.

Masters Fellowship

MakNCD is pleased to invite applications for Master’s level training in the following disciplines: Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Public Health monitoring and Evaluation. These training opportunities are intended to build a critical mass of professionals equipped with research, leadership, health systems, and management skills relevant to addressing the growing burden of NCDs in low- and middle-income countries.

Application Deadline: 23rd February 2025; Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

See below for detailed adverts

Zaam Ssali
Zaam Ssali

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Course Announcement: Certificate in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (CWASH) – 2026

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Graduands of the 2025 Certificate Course in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (CWASH) pose for a group photo at the Makerere University School of Public Health, following the successful completion of the short course in July 2025. Makerere University School of Public Health, Mulago Hospital Complex, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) is pleased to announce the Certificate Course in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (CWASH) – 2026.

This intensive and practical short course is designed to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of professionals involved in the planning, implementation, and management of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services. The programme responds to the growing demand for competent WASH practitioners in local government, non-governmental organisations, and the private sector.

Course Highlights

  • Duration: 8 weeks (01 June – 24 July 2026)
  • Mode: Day programme (classroom-based learning and field attachment)
  • Fees:
    • UGX 900,000 (Ugandans / East African Community)
    • USD 500 (International participants)
  • Application deadline: Friday, 27 March 2026

Who Should Apply?

  • Practising officers in the WASH sector
  • Environmental Health workers seeking Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
  • Applicants with at least UACE (or equivalent) and one year of WASH-related work experience

More Information

Additional details on course structure, modules, and delivery are available at: https://sph.mak.ac.ug/academics/water-sanitation-and-hygiene-wash

Important Note for Applicants

Attached to this announcement, interested persons will find:

  1. The course flier, providing comprehensive programme details, and
  2. The application form, which should be completed and returned to MakSPH together with the required supporting documents.

For full course details, application procedures, and contact information, please carefully review the attached documents. Eligible and interested applicants are strongly encouraged to apply before the deadline and take advantage of this opportunity to build practical competence in WASH service delivery.

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Holistic Retirement Planning includes Psychological, Emotional & Social well-being across all Career Stages

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The Chairperson MURBS Board of Trustees-Dr. Michael Kizito (8th Right) with Professor Seggane Musisi (7th Right) and Members after the session on 8th January 2026. Makerere University Retirement Benefits Scheme (MURBS) Member Sensitisation Session on "Understanding Identity Shifts; Developing Routines; Sustaining Motivation and Purpose", 8th January 2026, Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility Auditorium, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

The Makerere University Retirement Benefits Scheme (MURBS) on Thursday, 8 January 2026 organised a Member Sensitisation Session on “Understanding Identity Shifts; Developing Routines; Sustaining Motivation and Purpose”. The session focused on holistic retirement planning, emphasising that readiness for life after work goes beyond finances to include psychological, emotional, and social well-being across all career stages—from early career to post-retirement.

The session featured a keynote presentation by Professor Seggane Musisi, who highlighted how work-related titles and roles often shape personal identity, and how retirement can trigger a sense of loss if individuals are unprepared to redefine themselves. Members were encouraged to consciously design a post-work identity grounded in values, purpose, and community contribution.

Participants learned practical strategies for:

  1. Preparing early for retirement at different career stages;
  2. Developing healthy, meaningful routines that support mental stability and productivity;
  3. Sustaining motivation and purpose beyond formal employment;
  4. Managing stress, maintaining physical and mental health, and nurturing social connections; and
  5. Balancing family responsibilities with personal well-being.

The discussion also addressed cultural realities of retirement in Uganda, including family expectations, social obligations, and financial pressures. Special attention was given to age-related challenges such as dementia, depression, and chronic illness, underscoring the importance of preventive health care, emotional resilience, and timely professional support.

Overall, the session reinforced the message that retirement is a lifelong transition, not a one-time event. Members were encouraged to plan early, adapt continuously, and intentionally design a fulfilling, purposeful life beyond work—psychologically, socially, and financially.

To view the session, please click the embedded video below. Further below is the presentation.


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