An aerial view of the Makerere University School of Public Health construction site on the Main Campus. To the Right is the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) and in the background are Dag Hammaskjold Hall (Green roof) and University Hall (Brown tiles).
The Rockefeller Foundation, an American private philanthropy, donated US$100,000, which Makerere University will use towards the construction of a new School of Public Health (MakSPH) building in celebration of the University’s centenary this year.
Following a visit by The Rockefeller Foundation team and a tour of the MakSPH construction site located at Makerere University Main Campus, Mr. William Asiko, Vice President, Africa Region at The Rockefeller Foundation, announced the donation of US$100,000.
“As a Foundation, we are excited to re-engage with Makerere University and the School of Public Health. To that end, we are incredibly proud of the strides the School of Public Health has made since its inception. We look forward to continued collaboration with the School and the University at large,” said Mr. Asiko.
The Rockefeller Foundation has supported MakSPH for many years including its support for the construction of the current home of MakSPH 54 years ago and the establishment of the Master of Public Health (MPH) Program 28 years ago, which was among the first MPH programs on the African continent.
On July 29, 2022, MakSPH received and hosted Andrew Sweet, Vice President, Global Covid-19 Response and Recovery at the Rockefeller Foundation and Wadzanayi Muchenje, the Strategic Partnership & Health Lead for The Rockefeller Foundation’s Africa Regional Office. #MakerereAt100
MakSPH appreciates The Rockefeller Foundation for its generous support of public health in Africa and continued partnership towards a healthier Africa.
Makerere University School of Public Health is one of the oldest and largest public health training institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. Over the past 15 years, the School has significantly increased student enrolment and staff numbers.
The School offers nine (9) Masters programs and PhD training and is a leading player in public health in the African region with several multi-country, multi-institutional research and capacity building initiatives.
To accommodate this growth, MakSPH has initiated construction of a new building on the Makerere University Main Campus with an estimated cost of US$10 million of the fully fitted building. The School has so far raised US$3.5 million from various fundraising drives.
“Given its location within a region prone to infectious disease outbreaks of epidemic and pandemic potential, this building will accommodate a Centre for disease outbreak prevention, preparedness and response research in addition to other Centres of Excellence. We are extremely grateful to The Rockefeller Foundation for their generosity. Your past financial support has been invaluable to the growth of public health in Uganda, in Africa and globally,” Dr. Rhoda Wanyenze, Professor and Dean, MakSPH.
Side view of the Auditorium and the slab for the first floor of the MakSPH Main Building.
Dr. Lynn Atuyambe, an Associate Professor and the Chair of the Infrastructure Development Committee, MakSPH expresses gratitude to all its partners in Uganda and across the world for their unwavering support.
“We are deeply grateful for the support we have received thus far for the MakSPH building project, which has allowed us to make steady progress. We would like to extend a special thanks to our consultants CNS Inc., led by Arch. Nankya Collins Dolores; the Makerere University Estates and Works Department, and the Makerere University Administration, led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe. We would also like to recognize the hard work of the contractor, ROKO Construction Ltd., the Infrastructure Development Committee (IDC), and the MakSPH staff for their personal contributions and encouragement. However, to complete the entire project, the School still needs to raise an additional $6 million, and we appeal to our supporters to continue their generous contributions,” says Prof. Lynn Atuyambe
About us
MakSPH is a leading public health training and research institution in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of the schools under the College of Health Sciences, a constituent College of Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. The School conducts research and provides consultation services to the Government of Uganda Ministry of Heath, various national and international health organizations, as well as bilateral and multilateral agencies involved in health. The School provides graduate, undergraduate and in-service training in public health. MakSPH’s major research and capacity building areas are: infectious and non-infectious diseases, sexual, reproductive, maternal and child health, environmental and sustainable health.
Students and researchers from Makerere University and other institutions pitched 12 innovations addressing challenges in healthcare, clean energy, agriculture, waste management and community resilience during the inaugural Falling Walls Lab Kampala, held at the School of Public Health Auditorium, Makerere University.
The competition brought together emerging innovators to present solutions to practical challenges through a three minute pitch, followed by questions from a panel of judges.
Modelled on the Falling Walls format that originated in Berlin, the event required each participant to identify a “wall” a problem or barrier, and demonstrate how their innovation seeks to break it down.
Mudhasi wins with newborn jaundice screening device
Andrew Mudhasi of Makerere University emerged as the overall winner with a score of 90 per cent for a low cost medical device designed to improve newborn jaundice screening across different skin tones.
Overall competition winner Andrew Mudhasi (left) receives his first Place award certificate for his innovation
Mudhasi explained that the device uses optical sensor technology and a skin tone targeting algorithm to provide a rapid reading, with the aim of helping nurses and clinicians identify jaundice more efficiently.
During questions from the jury, Mudhasi said the device had not yet been tested on actual babies but had undergone laboratory testing using simulated skin tones.
He reported an accuracy rate of 94 per cent when the device was compared with laboratory spectrophotometers.
The innovation is intended initially for use in clinics and hospitals, with Mudhasi saying the team is also considering a version that could eventually allow mothers to screen babies at home.
Mudhasi’s innovation has previously received recognition at the African Business Concept Challenge and the iF Design Student Award, according to his presentation.
Rhonda’s innovation tackles diaper waste
Rhoda John of the University of Nairobi emerged in second place with 89.6 per cent for an innovation addressing the problem of used diaper waste.
Rhondah John pitches her innovation repurposing diaper waste into soil moisture retention
Under the theme “Breaking the wall of diaper waste and drug soils,” Rhonda explained that her team extracts sodium polyacrylate, the absorbent polymer found in diapers, and replaces the sodium with potassium.
The resulting potassium based superabsorbent material is designed to act as a “water battery” in soil by absorbing and retaining water for plants during dry periods.
John said testing showed a 99 per cent increase in germination and a 23 per cent increase in drought resistance.
The innovation also seeks to reduce the amount of used diapers ending up in landfills and the environmental effects associated with their decomposition.
During the question and answer session, John explained that her team was working with government environmental officials in Nairobi on a pilot collection system to address the challenge of gathering used diapers at scale.
Mahera takes third place with herbal peptic ulcer treatment
Stuart Mahera of Makerere University finished third with 86.2 per cent for a herbal formulation targeting peptic ulcers.
Stuart Mayira (left) receives his 3rd Place award certicate at the school of Public Health Auditorium.
Presenting under the theme “Breaking the wall of Nature and Modern Medicine,” Mahera argued that conventional treatment for peptic ulcers can involve multiple medicines and may be associated with side effects and antimicrobial resistance.
His proposed formulation, MARAC capsules, is intended as a monotherapy, combining properties required for peptic-ulcer treatment in a single capsule.
Mahera said his team had carried out quality control work, including characterisation and dose quantification, and had conducted preclinical trials on laboratory mice.
He also told the jury that an application had been submitted to the National Drug Authority as the team awaits the next stage of the regulatory process.
According to Mahera, the proposed seven day treatment would cost about Shs21,000, compared with the existing 14 day treatment approach.
Innovators present solutions to practical challenges
The remaining presentations covered a wide range of challenges.
Esther Nakungu of Utamu University presented Agri-Track, a digital record keeping solution intended to improve visibility, accountability and management of farm operations and financial information.
Dr. Jimmy Chachiga, a Makerere University participant, presented a solar photovoltaic cooker with a heat storage system designed to provide a cleaner and more reliable cooking option during both sunny and non sunny periods.
His presentation focused on reducing dependence on biomass fuels and addressing the challenges associated with intermittent solar energy.
Abdul Noor Luttamaguzi, a PhD student and senior government fisheries officer, presented a mobile application aimed at helping fish farmers and extension officers report, track and manage disease outbreaks.
Henry Duke Tamale presented a herbal cream targeting antibiotic resistant biofilm infections associated with diabetic foot ulcers.
Marvin Seruwu proposed adapting existing near infrared brain monitoring technology to help detect extra-axial brain bleeds in health facilities where access to CT and MRI equipment is limited.
His proposal seeks to repurpose existing technology towards a diagnostic need that could be particularly important in settings where advanced imaging facilities are not readily available.
Kennedy Kisame presented a poultry alert and diagnosis system combining satellite weather information with computer vision disease detection. The proposed system could be accessed through a smartphone application, SMS or USSD, making it potentially usable by farmers with limited internet access.
Frank Atwiine proposed a solar powered mobile diagnostic van designed to bring ultrasound and other diagnostic services closer to rural communities.
Johnson Makmot, a software and blockchain developer, presented a platform that combines GPS tracking and blockchain-based tokens to incentivise and verify plastic-waste collection in Kampala.
Dr. Nelson Ndugu, from a partner university, presented an artificial intelligence tool designed to translate agricultural research publications into local Ugandan languages and generate voice notes for radio-based extension delivery.
The final presentation came from Dr. Juliet Akola, a Ugandan post doctoral researcher at Mangosuthu University of Technology in South Africa.
Akola presented a community digital resilience initiative focused on mapping risks in Kampala’s informal settlements, including flooding, fire, poor sanitation, waste management and inadequate infrastructure.
Her proposal seeks to combine local community knowledge with geographical information systems and link identified risks to action plans involving municipalities and other stakeholders.
Nawangwe calls for more investment in innovation
Closing the event, Prof. Nawangwe congratulated all the participants and described their presentations as an important beginning for Makerere University, Uganda and the wider region.
Vice Chancellor, Prof. Banabas Nawangwe giving his remarks
Drawing on his experience attending the Falling Walls conference in Berlin, the Vice Chancellor said initiatives of this nature are important because innovation will play a major role in determining the future of countries.
He encouraged participants to make their pitches more precise by clearly identifying the problem they are addressing, explaining their proposed solution and demonstrating what they have already achieved.
Prof. Nawangwe also welcomed the participation of innovators from other universities and countries, noting that the Kampala event had attracted participants beyond Makerere.
He thanked the Africa Office of the Falling Walls Foundation for its role in bringing the initiative to Makerere and encouraged continued support for innovation.
The Vice Chancellor further linked innovation to Uganda’s growing youth population and the need to develop home-grown solutions to address challenges such as youth unemployment.
The inaugural Falling Walls Lab Kampala ultimately provided a platform for innovators to move ideas beyond the classroom and laboratory and demonstrate how research, technology and creativity can be applied to challenges affecting communities.
What will it take for Uganda’s health financing to match the scale of its ambitions? How does a nation ensure that the systems it builds are ones the government can fully own, sustain, and grow? And who are the leaders being shaped today to carry this work into the future?
The inaugural issue of the Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) newsletter follows these questions through six months of research, partnership, and institutional growth. Inside: MakSPH’s role in the national dialogue on sustainable health financing; the milestone handover of 16 MakSPH-METS digital health systems, built over 15 years, to Ministry of Health stewardship; and the research and academic investment shaping the School’s next phase of growth.
The edition also covers Vice-Chancellor’s Research Excellence Awards for MakSPH faculty, a new CARTA doctoral cohort, progress on the School’s new building, fresh leadership in the Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, expanding partnerships in malaria, environmental health, and maternal care, and MakSPH students stepping into leadership across Makerere‘s 92nd Guild Government.
Research has the greatest value when it moves beyond publication to improve lives.
At Makerere University’s Centre of Excellence for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH Centre) housed at Makerere University School of Public Health, research, partnerships and innovation are being translated into action to strengthen reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) in Uganda and beyond.
Welcome to the September MNCH Centre e-Post 135.
This month, we spotlight how evidence is informing action across reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) at the centre.
Explore how Centre researchers and partners are advancing innovations to reduce early perinatal mortality, how Makerere University through the Centre and WHO are strengthening capacity to monitor health inequalities, and how the Centre and its partners are leveraging AI to strengthen health systems and improve malaria surveillance.
Discover what these innovations could mean for scale, stronger health systems and greater impact.
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