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Dr. Rhoda Wanyenze explains how researchers can work more effectively with policymakers

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Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze talks to the media. Photo taken by Davidson Ndyabahika on April 27th 2023 at Makerere University CTFII. Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze talks to the media. Photo taken by Davidson Ndyabahika on April 27th 2023 at Makerere University CTFII.

In advance of the World Health Summit Regional Meeting, we spoke with the Dean of Makerere University School of Public Health about how researchers and academics build trust and gain influence with decision makers

Ahead of this year’s World Health Summit Regional Meeting, we spoke with Dr. Rhoda Wanyenze, the Dean of Makerere University School of Public Health, about the theme of this year’s event – bridging the science-to-policy gap for global health.

Dr. Rhoda Wanyenze, who has collaborated with government health officials to develop evidence-based policies from HIV to COVID-19 and maternal and child health, said that researchers and policymakers can, among other things, “interpret the data together, make sure the interpretation is appropriate, and tease out the actions they’re going to take.”

Dr. Wanyenze, who is also a principal investigator for Exemplars in Global Health’s COVID-19 research, added: “Let the primary focus not just be the publication [of the research], but also, responding to [policymakers] needs and giving them information that they can use.”

Across sub-Saharan Africa, research institutions have been partnering with policymakers to help inform policy decisions for decades. For example, the Infectious Diseases Research Institute in Uganda and the Uganda Virus Research Institute supported the Ministry of Health through the COVID-19 pandemic and recent Ebola outbreak. In fact, during the 2022 Ebola epidemic, the Uganda Virus Research Institute repurposed some of its research laboratories to support the government’s disease response and diagnostics efforts.

Many of the continent’s universities, including the School of Public Health at the University of Kinshasa, the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Tanzania, the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, and the University of Zimbabwe, also have strong collaborative relationship with health officials. The University of Zimbabwe, for example, embeds some of its students within the country’s Ministry of Health.

The Makerere University School of Public Health has a similar track record of partnering with and helping inform policymakers in Uganda. To explore how researchers and academics can establish mutually beneficial relationships with policymakers ahead of the World Health Summit Regional Meeting on April 13 in Washington, D.C., Dr. Wanyenze offered her thoughts in an interview

Researchers often struggle to identify the best moment to reach out to policymakers. What does your experience tell you?

Dr. Wanyenze: You don’t wait until you’ve conceptualized the questions, then go to them when you are at the tail-end or when you are presenting the findings. After you present, they’ll ask, Did you also do this?’ And you’ll say, “No, I didn’t.’ And then they’ll ask, ‘Did you also do that?’ And you’ll say, ‘No, I didn’t do that either.’
Sometimes I find that we make a lot of assumptions about what they need to know. Before we even begin to craft our research questions, we need to understand what they’re struggling with and ensure that we are aligned to their needs as we gather evidence.

I’ll give you an example: several years ago, we were beginning to work out how we can move from traditional HIV testing methods to self-testing. We were working on designing a randomized controlled trial to test the effect of this. We had to speak with the Ministry of Health to understand: what is it that they worry about? What is it that would make them not want to adopt this policy?

We also didn’t have just the [Ugandan] Ministry of Health, we had other stakeholders, including people living with HIV, women living with HIV, and we could hear their voices loudly. ‘People will fight. We shall have divorces. We shall have violence.’ We had to think through carefully, if we are going to do this trial, we have to have sufficient mechanisms to deal with potential risks.

At the same time, we must collect this information in a bit more detail so that at the end of the day, we are not just saying, ‘This trial works,’ but we are saying, ‘It won’t cause harm, or if it causes harm, this is how you can mitigate it.’ We had to carefully do this trial with sufficient safety nets to respond to these issues. We had to think about the referral resources, for example, should we have any violence.

Then they told us, ‘We want to know the cost.’ Initially, we had not planned to include costing, but we had to integrate something that can support them to be able to make that decision.

Another example is research my team did on the impact of COVID on maintaining essential health services in Uganda. We presented to the Ministry of Health and its partners our proposed objectives and selected disease indicators to track in the maintenance of essential health services. They informed us that other partners were already working on some of the indicators such as HIV, TB, and maternal health. Rather than duplicate these indicators, they advised us to focus on other indicators which had not been addressed. We agreed to reorient the focus with the resources we had, to harmonize our work with other partners and ensure responsiveness to the needs of the Ministry of Health. Later, when the EHS continuity committee published updated guidelines on maintaining essential health services, it included recommendations based on our research.

How do you manage policymakers’ shifting needs and incorporate their feedback throughout the lifetime of your research?

Dr. Wanyenze: Interim feedback loops are critical to being sensitive to their needs. The challenge is you might not be funded to do everything they ask you to do, but sometimes you find things that are easy to integrate without necessarily spending much. It might involve a few more questions that you can address, with the resources that you have, and produce additional evidence that is needed by the ministry. The benefits are tremendous. By engaging them, they develop a sense of ownership. So that they feel, ‘This is our research.’ And they actually begin to say, ‘When are you giving us the results?’

How should researchers think about reporting out their results to policymakers?


Dr. Wanyenze: Working with policymakers through interpreting the implications of your work is really important. It can help when planning how to disseminate the work so that it is more meaningful.

For one project funded by the Global Fund – a partnership to enhance analytical capacity and data use in Eastern and Southern Africa called PERSuADE – we prioritized the areas for analysis with the Ministry of Health and then we worked with their teams and generated the evidence they needed. Then we were able to track what actions they’ve taken based on the findings.

If you work with the Ministry of Health and any other partners and you use their data or involve them in the data collection, analysis and interpretation, make sure that you include them as co-authors. A common challenge we have experienced is researchers who work with the ministries and other stakeholders publishing the findings without including them as authors or even informing them and sharing the findings.

How do things change if you are working with routine data the government collects?

Dr. Wanyenze: If you are working with data that the government routinely collects, you need to be engaged with policymakers in terms of how you’re going to use that data and that you are actually going to add value and do a good quality analysis that will help them answer their questions. Also, you need to be clear that you will not use their data for anything else without their permission. Sometimes researchers will get this data and they’re flying off and doing other things than what was originally agreed upon. And before you know it, they’ve published it without the government knowing. You need to ensure trust and a partnership that’s respectful.

What advice do you have for research organizations that currently do not have a relationship with the government but want to develop one. How can they establish a mutually beneficial and respectful relationship?

Dr. Wanyenze: Whether you want to work with a ministry of health or an NGO, the process is the same. You need to engage with them to clarify the partnership and expectations. There has to be benefit to the ministry or the NGO to want to work with you. The benefit often will be that you’re generating evidence that will add value to their decisions in a timely manner. You need to be responsive to their needs, to the extent possible.

How can researchers balance the need for quality research, which takes time, and the needs of policymakers, who often have pressing and time-sensitive needs.

Dr. Wanyenze: Timeliness is very important, but it should not compromise quality of the research. Sometimes the research takes long, and researchers will share their findings with policymakers when the findings have been overtaken by events and are no longer relevant. We sometimes prioritize some of their most critical questions and share preliminary findings as we finalize analyses for the rest of the study objectives and papers. Holding back the dissemination until the papers are written is a missed opportunity—we lose the opportunity for feedback from stakeholders to enhance the interpretation of the findings and to use the findings.

by Exemplars News — Originally published by exemplars.health

See original article here; 

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Prof. Serwadda Urges Shift from Transactional to Equitable Research Partnerships

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August 26, 2025

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Seated: Prof. David Musoke Serwadda (2nd Right) and Assoc. Prof. David Musoke (3rd Right) with participants at the workshop on 20th August 2025. Workshop on Strengthening Equitable Partnerships in International Research Collaboration in Uganda, keynote address by Prof. David Musoke Serwadda,20th August 2025, Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) Auditorium, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

On August 20, 2025, Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) convened a timely workshop on Strengthening Equitable Partnerships in International Research Collaboration in Uganda. Held at the MakSPH Auditorium, the event brought together researchers, policymakers, and institutional leaders to reflect on how Uganda, and indeed the wider region, can engage more effectively and derive greater benefit from global research collaborations.

Delivering the keynote address, Prof. David Musoke Serwadda, a Professor Emeritus at Makerere University and a globally recognised HIV researcher and epidemiologist, urged a rethinking of how international research partnerships are structured. A former head of the Institute of Public Health (IPH) and later Dean of the School, serving between 2003 and 2009, Serwadda is also the founding director of the Rakai Health Sciences Programme (RHSP), which is one of Uganda’s most influential research initiatives on HIV. While acknowledging the many benefits Uganda has gained from global research collaborations, he cautioned that too many times, these partnerships remain transactional, shaped by donor priorities, bound to project cycles, and offering limited long-term value to local institutions once projects close.

Prof. Serwadda, himself a globally recognised and well-accomplished researcher, with over four decades of experience and numerous awards for his contributions to science and global health, observed that Ugandan partners are many times included in research projects for visibility rather than substance, often excluded from core roles such as Principal Investigators or from influencing agenda-setting, budget control, and authorship. “Partnerships are not an end in themselves; they exist to help us achieve mutually agreed objectives built on shared responsibility and reciprocal obligations. Too often, Southern institutions are brought into projects late, simply for optics. That is not equitable collaboration,” he insisted.

Prof. David Musoke Serwadda delivering his keynote address on Strengthening Equitable Partnerships in International Research Collaboration in Uganda. August 20, 2025. Workshop on Strengthening Equitable Partnerships in International Research Collaboration in Uganda, keynote address by Prof. David Musoke Serwadda,20th August 2025, Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) Auditorium, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. David Musoke Serwadda delivering his keynote address on Strengthening Equitable Partnerships in International Research Collaboration in Uganda. August 20, 2025.

During his talk, he stressed that this imbalance undermines both research quality and sustainability, noting that normally, when local researchers are sidelined, studies often fail to align with national priorities or build capacity that endures. By contrast, partnerships that are grounded in mutual respect, fair resource sharing, co-design, and shared decision-making have the impact of producing knowledge that is globally relevant and locally impactful.

“Equity in partnerships is about fairness, ensuring that all partners, regardless of context, can contribute meaningfully. This also requires responsibility on our part in the Global South. We must insist on involvement from project conception, negotiate fair terms, and strengthen our own systems to manage collaborations effectively,” Prof. Serwadda advised, emphasising that strong institutions, clear strategy, agenda and objectives are key for local institutions to engage in mutually fair and beneficial research collaborations at the global and continental stage.

As Director and later Dean of MakSPH, Prof. David Serwadda spearheaded numerous research collaborations and attracted substantial grants that elevated the School and the University’s global standing. Today, MakSPH is recognised as Makerere University’s flagship unit for its wide-ranging partnerships and robust research management systems. Since its beginnings as a small Department of Preventive Medicine in 1954, through its transformation into the first Institute of Public Health in sub-Saharan Africa in 1975, its elevation to School status in 2007, and most recently its reinstatement as a standalone School with college status within Makerere University in January 2025, a status first granted in 2001, MakSPH has built a 70-year legacy of advancing public health through research, training, and policy engagement.

The School’s evolution, as often couched by its leadership, has been anchored on strategic and strong partnerships. These collaborations, be they local, regional or global, have driven health systems innovation, strengthened capacity, and informed policy, making partnerships the cornerstone of the School’s past achievements and future ambitions. At the celebration of the School’s 70th Anniversary, marked in December 2024, Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe hailed MakSPH’s research output, community impact, and strong partnerships cultivated throughout the years. The Mak VC cited the School’s pioneering role in the HIV response led by Prof. Serwadda in the 1980s, the establishment of nutrition centres such as the Mwana Mugimu Unit at Mulago Hospital and across Uganda by the late Prof. John Kakitahi in the 1990s with support from Rotary International, and community projects like Kasangati Health Centre along Gayaza Road with support from the Rockefeller Foundation in the late 1950s, which advanced public education on healthy environments and wellness.

Current MakSPH building (left) and the new eight-storey facility under construction (right) near Eastern gate, Makerere University, developed through strong partnerships, including generous support from the American people via the USAID ASHA Program, to meet the School’s growing space and infrastructure needs.
Current MakSPH building (left) and the new eight-storey facility under construction (right) near Eastern gate, Makerere University, developed through strong partnerships, including generous support from the American people via the USAID ASHA Program, to meet the School’s growing space and infrastructure needs.

“The School of Public Health brings in almost half of all research grants at Makerere University, both in number and value, and these partnerships have been central to tackling Uganda’s public health challenges. From pioneering HIV/AIDS work that shaped global prevention strategies to interventions in maternal health, malaria, and infectious diseases, MakSPH has consistently combined academic excellence with community service. Its leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic further showed its ability to respond to national health emergencies with evidence-based solutions that directly benefit the people,” Prof. Nawangwe said with gratitude for the work done by the School through collaboration.

Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, exchanges documents with UNICEF Uganda Representative, Dr. Robin Nandy, during the signing of an MoU on August 14, 2025. The two-year renewable partnership seeks to advance child rights and well-being, a critical public health priority in Uganda.
Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, exchanges documents with UNICEF Uganda Representative, Dr. Robin Nandy, during the signing of an MoU on August 14, 2025. The two-year renewable partnership seeks to advance child rights and well-being, a critical public health priority in Uganda.

In 2024, the School had over 350 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact international journals as a result of this wide network and partnerships. MakSPH currently maintains a strong mix of North–South and South–South collaborations. Within the continent, the School is actively working in more than 25 countries, often partnering with multiple institutions within individual countries to advance research, capacity building, and policy influence. One such recent collaboration is the Partnership to Enhance Technical Support for Analytical Capacity and Data Use in Eastern & Southern Africa (PERSuADE) Project, funded by the Global Fund. Under PERSuADE, MakSPH, the prime grant recipient, hosted the secretariat led by Dean Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze as Principal Investigator, tasked with overall coordination across 12 countries, while a Steering Committee chaired by Prof. David Serwadda provided oversight.

PERSuADE was implemented in two phases between 2018 and 2023. The project brought together 12 universities and 12 Ministries of Health in East and Southern Africa to strengthen analytical capacity and promote data use in national health programmes, cascading skills to districts and lower facilities. In its second phase, the project trained over 1,500 health staff, including 934 at the sub-national level, in data analysis and use, and generated more than 80 analytical outputs on HIV, TB, and malaria. These informed National Strategic Plans in seven countries and improved programme strategies in all 12. Sixteen in-service staff from seven countries received specialised training in HIV key population surveillance, health information systems, and data use. The project also piloted the Maturity Index Model in five countries, helping ministries track progress in institutionalising data-driven decision-making.

MakSPH team led by Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze (centre, in red) with Dr. Estifanos Biru Shargie of the Global Fund (to her right) and other delegates at the PERSuADE II Regional Partners Meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, December 11–14, 2023. The meeting reinforced regional collaboration in strengthening data use and health systems.
MakSPH team led by Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze (centre, in red) with Dr. Estifanos Biru Shargie of the Global Fund (to her right) and other delegates at the PERSuADE II Regional Partners Meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, December 11–14, 2023. The meeting reinforced regional collaboration in strengthening data use and health systems.

In Uganda, the PERSuADE project was implemented in Kiboga, Buikwe, Kasanda, Mukono, and Mityana districts, selected by the Ministry of Health. According to the Principal Investigator, Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze, strengthening data analysis and use has greatly enhanced the capacity of Ministries of Health to deliver targeted interventions that directly benefit communities. She noted that improved analytical skills at national and subnational levels now enable ministries to identify disparities in HIV, TB, and malaria burdens, while district and facility health workers can use data to strengthen local service delivery. “With better data, districts can plan more efficiently, allocate medicines, and implement tailored prevention campaigns to address specific risks, raise awareness, and reduce new infections,” she said, emphasising the role of equitable collaboration as a key success factor in Uganda and across the continent for this partnership.

Indeed, during a learning visit to Uganda in September 2024, Dr. Estifanos Biru Shargie, Senior Specialist for Monitoring, Evaluation, and Country Analysis at the Global Fund, commended the PERSuADE Project for strengthening local capacity and fostering sustainable health system improvements through South-South partnerships among schools and ministries. “The impact has been significant. In Kiboga, I was impressed by how teams mapped gaps in services and addressed them over four years, using data to inform decisions and monitor progress. Working with Makerere University School of Public Health has been an honour. The School blends academic excellence with practical implementation, backed by strong financial management and a long-standing relationship with the Ministry of Health. Their coordination, networking, and efficiency have been exemplary,” Dr. Shargie said.

Another currently ongoing initiative at the School is the African Leadership and Management Training for Impact in Malaria Eradication (ALAMIME) program, led by MakSPH with ten participating institutions across nine malaria-endemic countries, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Co-led by Prof. Elizeus Rutebemberwa and Prof. Dosithée Ngo Bebe, ALAMIME is cultivating the leadership Africa needs to defeat malaria by strengthening institutions, building capacity, and fostering regional networks. In 2024 alone, the program trained over 250 participants, nearly half women, from national malaria programs, ministries, and NGOs. Through structured training, alumni-led webinars, and cross-country exchanges, the program has demonstrated how equitable, multi-country partnerships translate investment into sustainable systems and shared momentum toward malaria elimination.

During MakSPH@70 celebrations in December 2024, Hon. Margaret Muhanga, State Minister for Primary Health Care, launched the School’s new five-year Strategic Plan alongside key partners from the Ministry of Health, WHO, and Makerere University leadership, including Council Chairperson Ms. Lorna Magara, Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, and Dean Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze. The Plan places partnerships at the heart of MakSPH’s vision for public health impact and comes at a defining moment as the School regains standalone status within Makerere University.
During MakSPH@70 celebrations in December 2024, Hon. Margaret Muhanga, State Minister for Primary Health Care, launched the School’s new five-year Strategic Plan alongside key partners from the Ministry of Health, WHO, and Makerere University leadership, including Council Chairperson Ms. Lorna Magara, Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, and Dean Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze. The Plan places partnerships at the heart of MakSPH’s vision for public health impact and comes at a defining moment as the School regains standalone status within Makerere University.

For nearly 15 years now, MakSPH has also hosted the NTU–Mak Partnership, a collaboration between Makerere University and Nottingham Trent University, first conceived in 2010, with Assoc. Prof. David Musoke and Prof. Linda Gibson as the Uganda and UK Co-Leads. One of the key reasons for the success of this partnership is equity, and it has since attracted over £1.4 million in grants, trained more than 900 Village Health Teams in Wakiso District, supported over 350 practitioners in antimicrobial stewardship, and facilitated exchanges for more than 200 students and faculty. It has also equipped community health workers to respond to non-communicable diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and the COVID-19 pandemic, while generating over 30 peer-reviewed publications and convening global platforms such as the first International Community Health Worker Symposium, held in Kampala in 2017.

Dr. Musoke, the Co-Principal Investigator for the project on strengthening equitable research collaborations in Uganda, described the NTU-Mak partnership as a model North–South partnership that has produced both joint scholarship and lasting institutional ties. He noted that its success has inspired wider collaborations, as the current project on equitable partnerships builds on this foundation. Emerging from a British Academy regional workshop in Nairobi in 2024, MakSPH extended its engagement to Mountains of the Moon University (MMU), Uganda Martyrs University (UMU), and the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO). Together with Nottingham Trent University, these institutions are now advancing reforms to embed equity in research partnerships across Uganda’s research ecosystem.

Assoc. Prof. David Musoke, Mr. Awel Uwihanganye, and the MakSPH Equitable Partnerships Project Team during the workshop on equitable partnerships. August 20, 2025. Workshop on Strengthening Equitable Partnerships in International Research Collaboration in Uganda, keynote address by Prof. David Musoke Serwadda,20th August 2025, Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) Auditorium, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Assoc. Prof. David Musoke, Mr. Awel Uwihanganye, and the MakSPH Equitable Partnerships Project Team during the workshop on equitable partnerships. August 20, 2025.

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Mak and UNICEF Uganda Sign MoU to Strengthen Child Rights through Research, Training, and Innovation

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August 15, 2025

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The Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe (Right) and UNICEF Uganda Representative Dr. Robin Nandy (Left) show off the signed MoU on 14th August 2025. Makerere University (Mak) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Uganda sign MoU that launches a two-year, renewable partnership aimed at advancing child rights and well-being through rigorous research, capacity building, and policy-driven innovation, CFC, MITER, CEES, MakSPH, 14th August 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Makerere University (Mak) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Uganda have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that launches a two-year, renewable partnership aimed at advancing child rights and well-being through rigorous research, capacity building, and policy-driven innovation.

The agreement was signed on Thursday, 14 August 2025, by Makerere Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe and UNICEF Uganda Representative Dr. Robin Nandy in the Vice Chancellor’s Boardroom at Makerere’s Main Building.

The MoU enlists a focused collaboration on generating child-focused data and research to inform policy and program design, analyzing how health, nutrition, education, and protection initiatives affect children, and strengthening the social sector workforce through targeted training, curricula, and performance standards.

It also emphasizes knowledge management, wide dissemination of findings to stakeholders, policy and legislative advocacy for child rights, and active student engagement through internships, skilling opportunities, and communities of practice. The renewed partnership is designed to bolster evidence-based policy-making and drive program improvements that contribute to Uganda’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Makerere Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe expresses delight after signing the MoU. Photo by John Okeya Makerere University (Mak) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Uganda sign MoU that launches a two-year, renewable partnership aimed at advancing child rights and well-being through rigorous research, capacity building, and policy-driven innovation, CFC, MITER, CEES, MakSPH, 14th August 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Makerere Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe expresses delight after signing the MoU. Photo by John Okeya

“The signing of this MoU deepens Makerere’s long-standing commitment to the well-being of Uganda’s children and Africa’s future,” said Vice Chancellor Nawangwe. “I thank Dr. Nandy for his leadership and for the continued collaboration that will expand our capacity to deliver research with immediate, practical benefits for communities.”

UNICEF’s Dr. Nandy stressed that the partnership reflects UNICEF’s global mission to protect and promote every child’s rights while translating research into policy and action. He highlighted Makerere’s proven strength in research leadership as a critical asset in the effort to generate robust evidence for government decision-making and resource allocation.

UNICEF Uganda Representative Dr. Robin Nandy speaks to the press shortly after the signing of the MoU at Makerere University. Photo by John Okeya Makerere University (Mak) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Uganda sign MoU that launches a two-year, renewable partnership aimed at advancing child rights and well-being through rigorous research, capacity building, and policy-driven innovation, CFC, MITER, CEES, MakSPH, 14th August 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
UNICEF Uganda Representative Dr. Robin Nandy speaks to the press shortly after the signing of the MoU at Makerere University. Photo by John Okeya

“This partnership shows our commitment to combine academic knowledge with practical results,” said Dr. Nandy. “Using Makerere’s research skills to create important information about child welfare issues and solutions, making sure that every project we start is based on solid data and aims to safeguard and support children’s basic rights.”

The partnership builds on Makerere University’s established research strengths and UNICEF’s global mandate to protect children. It complements longstanding collaborative work through Mak’s School of Public Health (MakSPH) and other faculties, reinforcing a broader university-wide commitment to evidence-based policy and community impact.

Since 2016, Makerere has participated in more than 30 UNICEF-supported research projects, which emphasize a deep mutual trust and shared mission. The Vice Chancellor noted that this history laid a robust foundation for the new MoU while also underlining opportunities to broaden collaboration beyond the health sector.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and UNICEF Uganda Representative Dr. Robin Nandy with Makerere University faculty at the signing of the MoU. Makerere University (Mak) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Uganda sign MoU that launches a two-year, renewable partnership aimed at advancing child rights and well-being through rigorous research, capacity building, and policy-driven innovation, CFC, MITER, CEES, MakSPH, 14th August 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and UNICEF Uganda Representative Dr. Robin Nandy with Makerere University faculty at the signing of the MoU.

Among the notable prior initiatives is MakSPH’s joint work with UBOS and UNICEF, supported by EU funding, on the first comprehensive Food Security and Nutrition Assessment in ten districts of Northern Uganda and the West Nile region (2019). The findings of this work informed targeted nutrition programs and strategies to combat malnutrition among vulnerable populations, shaping policy directions at local and national levels.

In 2023, MakSPH, in collaboration with the National Planning Authority (NPA) and UNICEF, along with FHI360 and the Ministry of Health, produced an updated Situation Analysis of Newborn Health in Uganda. The document has guided the ministry’s national strategy development, including costed investments to improve newborn health across the country.

Professor Rhoda Wanyenze, Dean of MakSPH, hailed the partnership as a continuation of a long-standing relationship, noting that UNICEF’s support was instrumental in establishing the Makerere University Centre of Excellence for Maternal Newborn & Child Health (MNCH) in 2013.

“It’s such a delight, a great honor to finally get to this event where we can formalize our partnership with UNICEF. The partnership between UNICEF and Makerere has been a long-standing one, and we have worked together for decades, which has driven critical research and informed national policies,” she said. She emphasized that both institutions share a passion for tackling adolescent health challenges, particularly early pregnancies and marriages, which remain persistent barriers to progress.

Professor Rhoda Wanyenze, Dean of MakSPH speaks to the press during the MoU Signing ceremony at Makerere University on Thursday. Makerere University (Mak) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Uganda sign MoU that launches a two-year, renewable partnership aimed at advancing child rights and well-being through rigorous research, capacity building, and policy-driven innovation, CFC, MITER, CEES, MakSPH, 14th August 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Professor Rhoda Wanyenze, Dean of MakSPH speaks to the press during the MoU Signing ceremony at Makerere University on Thursday.

The MoU extends collaboration beyond the School of Public Health. The Vice Chancellor noted productive partnerships across other departments, including the Department of Journalism and Communication and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, emphasizing how diverse disciplines can contribute to evidence-based policy and community well-being.

Another important example is the Caring for the Caregiver (CFC) intervention led by the Makerere Institute of Teacher Education and Research (MITER) in the College of Education and External Studies (CEES). This was implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health, UNICEF Uganda, and international partners. The evaluation examined caregiver emotional wellbeing, social support, and parenting stress in rural Uganda, contributing to the growing evidence base for nurturing care in resource-constrained settings.

Partnering for child rights and well-being through rigorous research, capacity building, and policy-driven innovation. Makerere University (Mak) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Uganda sign MoU that launches a two-year, renewable partnership aimed at advancing child rights and well-being through rigorous research, capacity building, and policy-driven innovation, CFC, MITER, CEES, MakSPH, 14th August 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Partnering for child rights and well-being through rigorous research, capacity building, and policy-driven innovation.

Also, the School of Statistics and Planning in the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) has partnered with UNICEF to tackle urgent socio-economic and public health challenges. A key example is the Socio-economic Impact Assessment of the 2022 Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in Mubende and Kassanda districts, which examined household-level shocks, community coping strategies, and the wider disruption of livelihoods. The study’s findings have informed national policy dialogue and action planning, emphasizing that there must be stronger preparedness measures.

According to the Vice Chancellor, the university’s broader engagement with UNICEF as a driver of research, innovation, and community outreach benefits children and families throughout Uganda.

For Dr. Nandy the partnership will support student involvement in real-world operational and programmatic work, creating pipelines for young scholars to contribute to child welfare initiatives.

Both parties expressed a shared vision of translating research findings into concrete actions that strengthen child protection and opportunities for learning and development. The collaboration is expected to yield new efforts for effective interventions, sharpen the policy dialogue, and catalyze scalable innovations that improve the daily lives of Uganda’s children.

Professor Barnabas Nawangwe (Right) and Dr. Robin Nandy (Left) shake hands after signing the MoU. Makerere University (Mak) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Uganda sign MoU that launches a two-year, renewable partnership aimed at advancing child rights and well-being through rigorous research, capacity building, and policy-driven innovation, CFC, MITER, CEES, MakSPH, 14th August 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Professor Barnabas Nawangwe (Right) and Dr. Robin Nandy (Left) shake hands after signing the MoU.

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Call for Abstracts: 2nd AI in Health Africa Conference

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August 13, 2025

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Call for Abstracts: 2nd AI in Health Africa Conference. Deadline: 15th September 2025 11:59pm (EAT). Hosted by: Health AI for All Network, Makerere University AI Health Lab & Infectious Disease Institute, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

The  2nd AI in Health Africa Conference set to be held 6th – 7th November invites researchers, policymakers, healthcare practitioners, and innovators to submit abstracts for our 2025 event! We’re excited to explore the incredible, transformative potential of AI in healthcare across Africa, with a keen focus on developing ethical, scalable, and context-specific solutions that truly make a difference.

Deadline: 15th September 2025 11:59pm (EAT)

Format: Structured abstract (max 300 words) – Background, Methods, Results & Conclusion.

Submissions should emphasize African contexts & solutions

Thematic Areas

  • AI Policy, Governance & Ethics in Healthcare
  • Localization & Contextualization of AI Solutions
  • AI Capacity Building for Health Practitioners
  • AI Integration in Healthcare Systems
  • Generative AI in Healthcare
  • Sustainable AI Business Models

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