Health
NCDs Symposium 2023: Stakeholders Pledge to Work together to Address growing burden in Uganda & Beyond
Stakeholders pledged to work together to address the growing burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Uganda and beyond. The pledge was made at the NCDs Symposium held on Saturday 4th March 2023 and hosted by Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS), as a member of the Alliance of Research Universities in Africa (ARUA) NCD Centre of Excellence. The theme of the symposium was ‘Advances in NCD Training, Research and Community Impact’.
Research shows that, globally, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are responsible for a significant proportion of deaths, with 41 million people dying from these chronic diseases each year. NCDs, also known as chronic diseases, tend to be of long duration and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors. The main types of NCD are cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma) and diabetes.
NCDs disproportionately affect people in low- and middle-income countries, where more than three-quarters of global NCD deaths (31.4 million) occur. In Uganda, the number of people living with NCDs has been increasing dramatically, making NCDs a major public health threat. For instance, 74,354 new cases of diabetes were seen at health facilities in Uganda in 2009-10 compared to 58,523 five years earlier showing an increase of 27% (HMIS data 2009/10). In 2013, the Uganda Diabetes Association revealed that over 200,000 children had diabetes and expressed fears the number could be higher because many of the children do not report to the hospital for diagnosis.
In her remarks as host, Professor Damalie Nakanjako, The Principal College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, in a special way welcomed participants to the Symposium and noted that the purpose of the event was to showcase the latest advances in NCD training, research, and community impact, and to provide a platform for stakeholders to engage and collaborate on issues related to NCDs.
Citing WHO data, Professor Nakanjako noted that NCDs represent the largest cause of mortality in adults with 86% of these premature deaths occurring in middle-income countries such as Uganda. She further pointed out that the incidence of NCDs among children, particularly diabetes, is increasing, indicating the urgent need for attention.
Professor Nakanjako stressed the importance of data-driven interventions, knowledge translation, and a multi-sectoral approach in addressing NCDs, and called for more investment in NCD research, collaborations, and regular exercise among children. She also reiterated Makerere University’s commitment to addressing NCDs through continuous advances in NCD training, research, and community engagement.
WHO Key Facts On Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)
- Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) kill 41 million people each year, equivalent to 74% of all deaths globally.
- Each year, 17 million people die from a NCD before age 70; 86% of these premature deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
- Of all NCD deaths, 77% are in low- and middle-income countries.
- Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17.9 million people annually, followed by cancers (9.3 million), chronic respiratory diseases (4.1 million), and diabetes (2.0 million including kidney disease deaths caused by diabetes).
- These four groups of diseases account for over 80% of all premature NCD deaths.
- Tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets all increase the risk of dying from an NCD.
- Detection, screening and treatment of NCDs, as well as palliative care, are key components of the response to NCDs.
During his speech, Dr. Fred Bukachi, the Director of ARUA Centre of Excellence for NCDs, highlighted the urgent need to address the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the region and beyond through research, capacity building, and dissemination of findings. The Centre’s main objective is to develop scientific evidence for NCD policies, prevention, management, and control, while engaging with communities. To achieve this, Dr. Bukachi presented several strategies, including the creation of multi-disciplinary research programs, a training research and mobility program, an NCD research and data repository for Africa, and an annual international NCD symposium.
In addition, Dr. Bukachi emphasized the Centre’s commitment to improving the health and well-being of people in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond by addressing the NCD epidemic through research and capacity building. The audience responded positively to his presentation, with many impressed by the Centre’s ambitious goals and plans for tackling NCDs in Africa.
In his remarks, read by Dr. Frank Mugabe, Dr. Oyoo Charles Akiya, the Commissioner of Health Services-NCD Ministry of Health, stated that non-communicable diseases and injuries (NCDIs) are on the rise in Uganda. He revealed that the burden of NCDs has more than doubled in the last 20 years, with 22% of adults at risk of premature death (30-70 years) as of 2016. NCDs account for 41% of all deaths in the country.
Dr. Akiya cited the NCD risk factor survey and other studies, highlighting heavy alcohol consumption in men and women, consumption of unhealthy diets, tobacco use, physical inactivity, and obesity as some of the problems that need urgent attention. Data on high burden NCD conditions reveal that 24% of adults in Uganda suffer from hypertension requiring treatment, with only 24.3% accessing treatment. The prevalence of diabetes is estimated at 1.4%, and there is a high prevalence of sickle cell disease in the central, eastern, and northern parts of the country, with 1.3% of the population having the trait.
Mental health disorders, especially depression, are also prevalent, with over one million Ugandans experiencing depression.
On government efforts towards NCDS, Akiya revealed that Uganda is conducting the 2nd risk factor survey thanks to the World Health Organization and the School of Public Health.
Moving forward, Dr. Akiya proposed priority areas for research and training ; including the need to quantify the level of misinformation around diabetes treatment, implement preventive programs for known carrier communities of sickle cell disease, determine the cause and risk factors for increased cases of gastrointestinal cancer in Southwestern Uganda, understand the biomass gap and its correlation to chronic respiratory diseases, determine the gap in mental health service provision among general health workers, reduce the cost of kidney chronic disease transplant services, increase awareness of cardiovascular disease screening, and determine and document the cost of road traffic-associated injuries to the health sector and the country to halt these conditions.
In his remarks as Chief Guest, Professor Umar Kakumba, on behalf of Makerere University’s Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, commended academia for their role in addressing emerging health threats, adding that Makerere University, as a research-led institution, is committed to supporting NCD activities through training, research, and community engagement. He emphasized that beyond training and research, there is a need to go to communities and share knowledge, as there is a gap in knowledge uptake around NCDs.
Professor Kakumba also highlighted the role of the private sector in supporting these causes, as a healthy population is key to their business success. He thanked Arua partners for taking the lead in addressing NCDs, which are responsible for 71% of global deaths and 85% of premature deaths in low and middle-income countries, including Uganda.
Moving forward, Professor Kakumba proposed a collaborative effort among stakeholders to address NCDs comprehensively. He emphasized the need for a holistic approach that involves the government, private sector, civil society organizations, and academia to address the growing burden of NCDs in Uganda.
He reiterated the commitment of Makerere University in supporting NCD activities through research, training, and community engagement, and he called on other institutions to join in this effort to achieve a healthier population and a more prosperous country.
In her remarks, Dr. Kasule Hasifa discussed the priority areas for research and training in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) identified by the World Health Organization (WHO), including the need to prevent and control NCDs through public health interventions and policies, address the social determinants of NCDs such as poverty and education, improve healthcare accessibility and quality particularly in low- and middle-income countries, strengthen health systems to better respond to the growing burden of NCDs, and promote research on the causes, prevention, and treatment of NCDs.
The event featured presentations from several NCD groups at MakCHS, including Cardiovascular Diseases, Renal Diseases, Diabetes Mellitus & Other Endocrine Disorders, Cancers, Mental Health Disorders, Respiratory Diseases and Lung Health, Sickle Cell Disease, and Other Haematological Conditions, as well as Interactions between NCDS and Infectious Diseases.
The symposium was attended by researchers, students, academicians, policymakers, practitioners, and health advocates with a special interest in NCDs. The day was crowned off with cake-cutting and all participants pledging to work together in addressing NCDs.
At the symposium, stakeholders agreed that it is crucial to work collaboratively to comprehensively address the growing burden of NCDs in Uganda. They recognized the need to implement preventive programs, increase awareness of cardiovascular disease screening, improve healthcare accessibility and quality, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, and promote research on the causes, prevention, and treatment of NCDs. It was emphasized that a holistic approach involving the government, private sector, civil society organizations, and academia is necessary to achieve a healthier population and a more prosperous country.
The 92nd Guild Ministry of Health is set to host the Annual Makerere Guild Medical Camp, a three-day outreach that will bring free and essential medical services to students, staff, and the surrounding community. The camp will run from 17th to 19th September 2026, from 8:00am to 5:00pm each day, at the Freedom Square.
Themed around promoting student wellness for academic excellence, the medical camp is organised under the leadership of Hon. Wamezaya Ebenezer, the Minister of Health in the 92nd Guild Government, in alliance with several partner organisations supporting the university’s health and wellness agenda. The initiative reflects a growing recognition within student leadership circles that academic performance is closely tied to the physical and mental wellbeing of the university community.
Comprehensive Range of Services
The medical camp will offer a wide range of services designed to address both routine and specialised health needs. On the general health side, attendees will have access to general and specialist medical consultations, allowing students, staff, and community members to seek professional advice on a variety of health concerns without the usual costs associated with private or even public healthcare.
Screening services will also be a central feature of the camp. Organisers have confirmed that sickle cell testing, malaria rapid diagnostic testing, and HIV screening will be available on site, giving participants the opportunity to know their status and receive guidance on appropriate next steps. Eye care services and laboratory diagnostics will round up this category, addressing common but often neglected areas of student health.
Beyond diagnostics and consultations, the camp will provide free essential medicines to those who need them, easing the financial burden that often accompanies treatment even after a diagnosis has been made. Reproductive health counseling will also be offered, giving students a confidential space to discuss matters that are frequently overlooked in general campus health conversations. Mental health counseling completes the list of available services, an inclusion that speaks to the increasing attention being paid to psychological wellbeing within the university community.
A Camp Open to the Wider Community
While the camp is organised by the Guild Ministry of Health and centred on student welfare, its reach extends beyond the student body. Organisers have made it clear that the free medical services will be available to students, staff, and members of the whole Makerere community, positioning the event as a broader public health contribution rather than a strictly internal university affair. This inclusive approach mirrors similar outreach efforts previously undertaken by student leadership and university departments, which have sought to position Makerere University not just as a centre of learning but as an active contributor to community welfare in the areas surrounding its campuses.
Freedom Square, long regarded as the symbolic heart of student activity and expression at Makerere University, was selected as the venue for the three day event. Its central location and historic significance make it an accessible and fitting site for an initiative of this scale, expected to draw considerable numbers of participants over the course of the camp.
Health as a Pillar of Academic Success
The organisers have anchored the medical camp around the message of promoting student wellness for academic excellence, a theme that underscores the connection between health and academic performance. University life often places significant demands on students, both physically and mentally, and untreated health concerns can quietly undermine academic progress long before they become visible crises. By bringing screening, treatment, and counseling services directly to students at no cost, the Guild Ministry of Health is addressing barriers that might otherwise prevent students from seeking care, whether due to cost, distance, or stigma, particularly around mental health and reproductive health matters.
The inclusion of mental health counseling alongside more traditional physical health services is particularly notable. It signals an evolving understanding among student leaders that wellness cannot be addressed through physical checkups alone, and that psychological support deserves equal standing within campus health initiatives. Similarly, the presence of reproductive health counseling reflects an effort to normalise conversations that many young people find difficult to initiate on their own.
What to Expect
Over the three days, participants can expect a structured environment at Freedom Square, with separate service points catering to the different categories of care on offer. Medical professionals will be on hand to conduct consultations and screenings, while counselors will provide guidance on reproductive and mental health matters in a setting designed to protect privacy and encourage openness.
Given the scale of services on offer and the open invitation extended to staff and community members in addition to students, organisers anticipate strong turnout throughout the three day period. Those interested in attending are encouraged to plan their visits within the stated hours of 8:00am to 5:00pm to take full advantage of the services available.
For any inquiries regarding the medical camp, members of the university community and the public have been directed to reach out to Hon. Wamezaya Ebenezer, the Minister of Health, through the contact provided by the Guild Ministry of Health.
Building on a Guild Tradition
The Annual Makerere Guild Medical Camp is not a new concept within student governance at the university. Successive Guild Ministries of Health have used the medical camp as a recurring platform through which they translate campaign promises around student welfare into visible action. Each edition tends to build on the lessons of the one before it, with organisers typically expanding the range of services offered as new partnerships are secured and as feedback from previous camps is incorporated into planning.
This year’s edition, organised under the 92nd Guild Ministry of Health, appears to place particular emphasis on breadth of service, combining preventive screening, curative consultation, and psychosocial support within a single three-day window. The decision to bundle sickle cell testing, malaria and HIV screening alongside eye care and laboratory diagnostics suggests an intention to make the camp a one stop point for health assessment, reducing the need for participants to seek out multiple providers across the city for basic checks they might otherwise postpone indefinitely.
Why Timing Matters
The scheduling of the camp in September places it at a point in the academic calendar when many students are settling back into campus life after recess, a period during which health concerns accumulated over the break, whether physical ailments left unattended or emerging mental health pressures tied to academic anxiety, tend to surface. Offering free consultations and counseling at this juncture allow students to address these concerns early, before they compound into more serious complications that could interfere with coursework, examinations, or general campus participation.
For staff members and residents of the areas surrounding the university, the timing also offers a convenient opportunity to access services that might otherwise require travel to distant health facilities or extended waiting periods within an already strained public health system. In this sense, the camp functions as a modest but meaningful supplement to existing healthcare provision in the vicinity of the university.
As the 17th of September approaches, the Annual Makerere Guild Medical Camp stands as another example of the Guild Ministry of Health stepping beyond the boundaries of policy and advocacy into direct, hands-on service delivery, a model that continues to shape the character of guild ministries at Makerere University. Students, staff, and members of the surrounding community are encouraged to take advantage of the free services on offer and to look out for further communication from the Guild Ministry of Health as the event draws closer.
For more info, reach Hon. Wamezaya on +256784541248
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