The Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) is excited to invite researchers, professionals, and students to be part of an inspiring and impactful event!

Venue: School of Public Health Auditorium, Makerere University Main Campus
Dates: August 7–8, 2025
Theme: “Understanding the burden and impact of injuries in East Africa to improve Emergency Care preparedness, mitigation, and response.”

Submit Your Abstracts Now!

Join the conversation that drives change in trauma and emergency care across East Africa. Share your research, innovations, and insights that can shape the future of healthcare response in our region.

Submission Deadline: July 10, 2025
Submit here: triadcommunications@musph.ac.ug
Register to Attend: https://aapug.org/east-african-symposium-and-expo-on-trauma-injury-disability-and-emergency-care-2025/

Together, let’s drive change and improve lives through research and collaboration. Don’t miss this opportunity to make a difference!

MAKERERE UNIVERSITY CHILD HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER

PhD SCHOLARSHIP FELLOWSHIP TRAINING ADVERTISEMENT

Impact of Food Supplementation on Health, Growth, and Development for Stunted
Children

We are seeking to appoint a full-time PhD Fellow to conduct a randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) among 300 young children with stunting to assess the effect of Soy Lipid-based Nutrient Supplement with high versus low levels of antinutrients on growth and health of children on a DANIDA-supported project entitled “Climate-resilient soybean for improved growth and health of children in Uganda” (Healthy Soy). The PhD fellow will coordinate the RCT protocol development and its implementation, develop and nest his/her PhD protocol as part-of the RCT study. The PhD student will be hosted at the Child Health and Development Center School of Medicine College of Health Sciences, Makerere University. The PhD student will take part in literature review; designing, planning and conducting of studies; analysing results; writing reports and contributing to technical and policy briefs, journal articles and thesis; project management; organizing research seminars and stakeholder workshops; and guiding junior researchers and teaching. The PhD student will have access to online libraries, scientific databases and software for data analysis throughout their work. In addition, the student will be mentored by national and international researchers to develop scientific research and project management skills with three months stay in Denmark. By the end of the project, the selected candidate will have obtained significant competencies to explain the interactions between nutrition and health of children, growth and development. In addition, the student will gain skills in assessment of body composition, development and conduct of clinical trials design, scholarly writing and presentations, data analysis and interdisciplinary research.

Prospective candidates must:

• Hold Masters in any of the following or equivalents: Human Nutrition, Dietetics, Public
  Health Nutrition, Medicine in Paediatrics and Child Health, Public Health or
• Epidemiology with undergraduate training in Medicine and Surgery (MBChB/MBBS/MD).
• Having publication experience will be an added advantage.
• Be highly motivated and interested in pursuing rigorous research
• Be committed to a long-term research career in Human Nutrition and Health
• Be of untainted integrity
• Be able to use different software for data analysis and graphics.

Successful fellow will be expected to:

• Conduct high quality research leading to publications in high-impact journals (must be
  ready to work towards publishing a minimum of one quality paper per year).
• Contribute to research capacity building including training of undergraduate and M.Sc.
  students in the host department.
• The project will avail financial support to the successful PhD Fellow for 4 years. Funds
  will cover: PhD tuition for 4 years; monthly stipend; research supplies and reagents;
  conference participation and other research-related costs.

Interested applicants should send an application letter, motivation statement, two
recommendation letters, CV and academic transcripts and certificates for all university
qualifications in an email titled “PhD Fellowship Application – Healthy Soy Project” to
chdc.desk@mak.ac.ug by 26^th June 20205.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Only shortlisted applicants will be
contacted for interviews.

At a ceremony held on 30^th May 2025, themed ‘They taught us without saying a word’, the Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) commemorated the silent teacher which are the cadavers (bodies) used in anatomy classes for medical students. In addition to a commemoration service, the event was used to create awareness and sensitise the public about the the importance of whole body donation.

The chief guest at the commemoration was Professor Mukadasi Buyinza, Deputy Vice Chancellor – Academic Affairs representing the Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe. The event attended by MakCHS students, staff and alumni was organised by students under Anatomy Society of MakCHS supported by Department of Anatomy and MakCHS leadership.

Welcoming guests to the event, Waziwu Mordecai–final year student of medicine and surgery who serves as President of the Anatomy Society, MakCHS explained that the reason for the gathering is three-pronged: to commemorate the silent teachers who make a profound contribution to medical education; to instill knowledge, compassion, and professionalism in future healthcare providers; and call on the community to support this noble act through awareness, advocacy, or future donation. ‘May the memory of our silent teachers live on in every life we will one day save’, he said.

The Anatomy society was founded in 2013 with aim of students providing peer mentorship to fellow students in lower years, such mentorship sessions help students appreciate better the anatomy of the human body. The society has supported:enhanced learning and mentorship; promoted academic participation including internal and external quizzes; and fostered connections including strengthen relationships between students across classes and with alumni.

Professor Elisa Mwaka, Head – Department of Human Anatomy welcomed all present for attending the ceremony. He thanked the College management led by the Principal, Professor Bruce Kirenga for the support provided in organizing the ceremony. He also expressed utmost appreciation to the Vice Chancellor for attending despite the competing priorities requiring his attention.

Professor Mwaka highlighted that we are here today, to pay our respect to the individuals whose bodies have been used for medical examination and research at MakCHS through offering prayers as well as sensitize people about willful/consented whole body donation.

Professor Mwaka explained that globally, sources of whole bodies for medical education and research are got through willed whole-body donation, unclaimed bodies in hospitals, imported bodies, executed persons among other means. In Uganda, unclaimed bodies in hospitals are used for medical as determined by the Uganda National Rules in the Penal Code Act of 1957.

In 2012 International Federation of Anatomy Associations (IFAA) recommended voluntary donation as the desirable and the only acceptable source for acquiring bodies. Almost all Africa countries and some European countries lack national body donation programs.

Speaking at the event, Professor Bruce Kirenga, Principal – MakCHS thanked Professor Mwaka for the insightful presentation. He welcomed Professor Buyinza to MakCHS and for accepting to attend despite the late invitation. He recognized the presence of the staff present and support towards the college activities.

Professor Kirenga underlined the importance of biomedical science under which human anatomy falls in medical education. ‘Biomedical sciences play a key role, once someone in grounded in the area, then he will be a good doctor’, he said.

The Principal also stressed that during his term of office operation efficiency will remain key ingredient for service delivery as well as rebuilding and rehabilitation of teaching and learning facilities. ‘Works to make the Biochemistry laboratory a model lab has commenced with a contract awarded to service provider; the refurbishment will be in phases’.

Professor Buyinza Mukadasi thanked the College, Human Anatomy department and the students for organizing the commemoration. ‘The amount of joy I have this morning, we should have done this a long time ago’, he said.

He expressed happiness at this commemoration for the silent teachers who unknowingly give so much to medical education and therefore mankind. He advised that community engagement to create awareness about the need for whole-body donation, regulatory compliance, and alignment to best practices.

He noted that disciplines like medicine is more like charity because medical practitioners give so much of themselves. ‘The number of people attending this ceremony is show of love for the discipline and commitment to the calling’ he said.

Professor Buyinza reiterated the commitment of Makerere University management to support MakCHS endeavours including this culture of commemorating the silent teacher. ‘Well-trained and season doctors are a result of the process explained here and the absence of bodies affects the quality of education provided and therefore the doctors produced’, he added.

Candles for the cadavers were lit and services representative of Anglican, Catholics and Muslims were conducted to remember the souls of the departed and wish them a peaceful rest. Ordinand Cosmas Ddembe for Anglican, Father Valentine Amuneke for Catholic and Dr. Haruna Kiryowa for Muslim preached the importance of respect for the dead and sacrifices of the dead for advancement of research and education in the medical field and health services.

Giving closing remarks, Professor Mwaka noted that setting up whole-body donation programs in Africa requires a holistic approach involving education, cultural sensitivity, legal structures, and partnerships with medical institutions.

Reasons why Africa has failed to establish body donation programs:

• Low awareness and willingness to donate bodies.
• Cultural and traditional beliefs
• Religious beliefs
• Fear of mishanding bodies
• Lack of legislation/ ambiguous regulations
• Lack of institutional policies and standard operating procedures
• Institutions should be encouraged to hold Services of thanksgiving or commemoration for those who have donated their bodies for medical education and research.

The following is required to change the current status:

• Cultural sensitivity and awareness
  • Community engagement and awareness creation
  • Educational campaigns
• Developing legal and ethical frameworks
• Building partnerships between hospitals and medical institutions
• Establishing local body donation systems i.e.,
  • donation registration process,
  • consent documentation,
  • Logistical infrastructure necessary for the
• donation process.
• Effective communication, public trust,transparency.
• Training and professional development of healthcare providers.
• Global collaboration and funding: to share knowledge, best practices, and resources.
• Government support
  • Funding and incentives
  • Inclusion of body donation in national health strategies.

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