Health
NIRA & Makerere University Collaborate to Improve Death Registration Rates in Uganda
By Balam Ankunda
In a bid to address the low death registration rates in Uganda, the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has joined forces with the Makerere University Center for Health and Population Research (MUCHAP) to scale up death registration in Iganga and Mayuge districts.
This strategic partnership that aims to significantly increase death registration within the country is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and prevention Foundation (CDC F) – Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Data for Health Initiative program whose aim is to rapidly improve civil registration and vital statistics in number of low- and middle-income countries.
Recognizing the importance of accurate vital statistics, the initiative kicked on off on May 29, in the districts of Iganga and Mayuge with a two-day training program for district leader, community leaders and other stake holders in select parts the MUCHAP demographic surveillance area.
The training brought together key stakeholders, including Village Health Teams (VHTs), Local Councils (LCs), Health Assistants, Assistant COA’s, Sub Country Chiefs, and health inspectors, who play critical roles in the registration process.
The training equipped participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to initiate and streamline the death registration process within their respective communities.
With Uganda currently facing considerable challenges in death registration, the partnership between NIRA and MUCHAP offers a promising solution to this pressing issue.
Dr. Dan Kajungu, the Executive Director of MUCHAP, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, highlighting the significance of timely death registration within a week of occurrence. He added that the project leverages on the vast experience of the Makerere University population cohort of Iganga Mayuge HDSS.
Dr. Kajungu noted “the cohort has been doing similar work for close to 20 years, this will guarantee a successful initiative” The population cohort is one of the establishments that the University has set up to drive impactful research that directly addresses community needs.
By integrating the health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) with NIRA’s Mobile Vital Registration System (MVRS), the partnership aims to expand the scope of their work and enhance death reporting and registration practices.
Recent studies have revealed that approximately 67% of deaths occur within the community, while the remaining 33% take place in health facilities.
The Iganga-Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance Site (HDSS) population cohort covers seven sub-counties and records around 600 deaths and 2,000 births annually. Accurate data on causes of death and birth statistics is crucial for informed decision-making and effective resource allocation.
Addressing the challenges surrounding death and birth registration, Wandera Sadat, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Iganga, emphasized the need for public sensitization. He acknowledged that death and birth registration have existed, but the process lacked proper streamlining. Many deaths occurring in rural areas go unreported, leading to a dearth of crucial data.
“We really need to know the cause of deaths,” Wandera Sadala stated. “Malaria alone claims 18 lives daily. Understanding the impact of other diseases is equally important. If someone dies and we fail to report it, we will never have accurate statistics.”
Shalom Kisakye, Senior Registration Officer at NIRA, explained that the partnership with MUCHAP initially focuses on registering deaths in Iganga and parts of Mayuge for two months. However, they plan to expand to other districts and ensure continuous registration as per their mandate.
Kagoya Mariam, the Health Inspector in charge of Nakalama Subcounty in Iganga district, expressed her surprise at learning that death registration is mandatory. She admitted that previously, most people only sought death registration if there were court orders involved. However, the recent training has enlightened her about the broader significance of death registration.
“I did not know it is mandatory for death registration,” Kagoya admitted. “Most people come for death registration only if there are court orders, but today I have learned that registration helps us know which diseases are affecting the community. Death registration also helps us know the population we have for better planning purposes. People have not been sensitized enough.”
This revelation highlights the lack of awareness regarding the importance of death registration in the community. Many individuals, like Mukisa Musa, a local resident of Iganga Central Division, have now come to recognize the value of death registration.
Mukisa expressed his newfound understanding of the significance of death registration. His comments demonstrate the impact of the recent training on community members’ awareness and knowledge.
“I have learned about the importance of death registration,” Mukisa shared. His statement reflects the positive impact of the partnership between NIRA and MUCHAP in educating individuals about the significance of death registration.
The collaboration between NIRA and MUCHAP holds great promise in addressing the low death registration rates in Uganda. By streamlining the registration process and improving data collection, this initiative aims to provide accurate statistics on deaths and enhance societal decision-making for a better future.
The Iteso Cultural Leader, His Highness Emorimor Papa Paul Sande Emolot, has called on Makerere University to elevate the Science of Designing, Adaptation, and Implementation of Evidence-Based Parenting Interventions course into a fully-fledged programme. This, he argued, would strengthen the capacity of practitioners implementing parenting interventions across Uganda.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony held on 11th June 2025 at Makerere University where 35 practitioners completed the 12-week course, Emorimor Papa Emolot emphasized the transformative power of effective parenting. He urged aspiring parents and advocates of the Parenting for Respectability model to enroll in the course.
Citing the impact in his own sub-county and village, the cultural leader revealed that over 800 families had already benefited from the programme.
“We now see peace and love in homes where there was once conflict. Without good parenting, you risk raising animals instead of children,” he passionately stated.
He praised the course for equipping practitioners, policymakers, and researchers with the skills needed to design culturally sensitive, evidence-based parenting interventions tailored to Uganda’s context. Among the notable graduates was Her Royal Majesty Juliet Among Emolot Atomeileng Akaliat Toto, who reaffirmed her commitment to advancing family-strengthening initiatives using the skills and knowledge acquired.
Dr. Godfrey Siu, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader at Makerere University, described the course as a timely intervention. During this remarks, Dr. Siu described the event as a significant milestone in advancing the field of evidence based parenting intervention and family strengthening in Uganda.
“This course is meant to empower you as practitioners, policy makers and all those involved in development and implementation of parenting work. It provides both theoretical knowledge and practical tools essential for developing high quality interventions”, Dr. Siu noted. He urged the pioneer group to carry forward the expertise as champions of designing, adaptation and implementation of evidence parenting interventions.
Representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Dr. Aggrey David Kibenge, Juliana Naumo, Commissioner for Culture and Family Affairs, said the course supports the government’s agenda to address negative social outcomes affecting families.
“By grounding parenting in research, harmonizing policy with practice, and advocating for equity, we will ensure no family is left behind,” she said. “Cross-sectoral collaboration is key to unlocking transformative change.”
Ms. Naumo highlighted the government’s commitment—both technical and financial—to support outstanding student projects from the course. She stressed the importance of equipping professionals with the skills to bridge gaps between research and practice for consistent, high-quality parenting support across Uganda. While delivering the Vice chancellors speech by Dr. Helen Nambalirwa, Principal of the CHUSS, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe commended the graduates as a beacon of hope.
“At a time when parenting faces challenges like digital distractions, changing societal norms, and a rising mental health crisis, Makerere reaffirms its support for interventions that drive the societal transformation we desire,” Nawangwe stated.
Prof. Richard Idro, Deputy Principal of the College of Health Sciences, acknowledged the growing parenting challenges in Uganda and the region, adding that the course was a major step towards standardizing parenting interventions nationwide.
He applauded the Child Health and Development Centre (CHDC) for leading this paramount and critical initiative.
Mr. Hosea Katende, Course Administrator at CHDC, emphasized the importance of integrating systematic methods, ethical principles, robust evidence, and collaboration to create lasting impact in parenting.
Dr. Aggrey Dhabangi, Lecturer at CHDC, representing Dr. Herbert Muyinda, Director of CHDC, acknowledged the contributions of partners such as the ELMA Foundation and Echidna Giving for their financial and capacity-building support. He also appreciated the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, among other stakeholders, for their technical guidance in the programme’s successful implementation.
Dr. Dhabangi extended gratitude to cultural institutions, especially the Kingdom of Teso, and acknowledged growing collaborations with other cultural institutions such as the Kingdom of Acholi, in the shared mission of building strong families as the foundation of Uganda’s future.
He extended his heartfelt gratitude to cultural institutions, especially the Kingdom of Teso, and others kingdoms such as the Kingdom of Acholi, in building Uganda’s future through creating strong families. Nuruh Mbalyowere, a Rehabilitation and Reintegration Officer with the Uganda Prisons Service, was honored for developing the best parenting intervention titled “Parenting Behind Prison Bars.” She expressed her intention to apply the knowledge gained both at home and in her workplace.
By Okeya John and Primrose Nabankema
The intensive one-month course, running for the first time from June 5 to July 24, 2025, is jointly offered by Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH)’s Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences (CHBS) and the Department of Journalism and Communication (DJC) at the School of Languages, Literature, and Communication (SLLC), co-designed in 2024 with support from the Rockefeller Foundation through Amref Health Africa.
It seeks to equip healthcare providers at the community level, public health and environmental health practitioners, communication specialists, health educators, community development officers, social scientists, and policy makers, among others, with strategic communication skills to improve public health messaging, strengthen community engagement, and support evidence-based interventions, ultimately empowering participants to effectively engage communities and improve population health outcomes across Uganda and the region.
Launching the course, the heads of the Department of Journalism and Communication and the Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences noted that participants who complete the short course will gain practical tools to influence behaviour change, build trust, and deliver timely, accurate, and relevant health information to the communities they serve. The first cohort attracted more than 60 applicants, with 36 reporting for the opening in-person session on June 5, 2025, at MakSPH in Mulago. Between now and July, participants will undergo a hands-on, multidisciplinary learning experience within the Certificate in Health Communication and Community Engagement program, which combines theory and practice.
Among the participants in the first cohort of the certificate course, designed as a pilot for the anticipated Master of Health Promotion and Communication to be jointly offered by the two departments at Makerere University, is Ms. Maureen Kisaakye, a medical laboratory technologist specialising in microbiology and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and currently pursuing a Master’s in Immunology and Clinical Microbiology at Makerere. She is driven by a passion to help reverse the rising tide of AMR, a growing global health threat where drugs that once worked are no longer effective. Kisaakye is particularly concerned about common infections, like urinary tract infections, becoming increasingly resistant and harder to treat.
“I enrolled in this course because I’m an advocate against antimicrobial resistance, and it came at a time when I needed to deepen my knowledge on how to implement our projects more effectively and engage with communities. The experience has broadened my understanding of AMR and its impact on society, and strengthened my passion for community-driven health initiatives and advocacy,” Kisaakye said, explaining why she enrolled for the short course.
Kisaakye’s work in antimicrobial resistance extends beyond the lab. Having earned her degree in medical laboratory science from Mbarara University of Science and Technology, she founded Impala Tech Research in 2024 to drive impact and save lives. She has led grassroots AMR campaigns that integrate antimicrobial stewardship with water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) education in underserved urban communities, including the informal settlements in Kampala. She also has since designed peer-led initiatives that empower university students as AMR Champions, building a network of informed youth advocates. Kisaakye believes the health communication course will sharpen her ability to design and deliver impactful, community-centred interventions in response to the growing threat of drug resistance.
“The department collaborates with many partners within and beyond the University, including the School of Public Health, where we are working to develop the subfield of health communication and promotion. Our goal is to train specialists in this area and build a community of practice, something we have each been doing in our own spaces. There’s a lot of work ahead, and COVID-19 showed us just how urgently we need a generation trained to do this kind of work, and to do it very well,” said Dr. Aisha Nakiwala, Head of the Department of Journalism and Communication, during the opening of the short course on June 5.
She assured participants they were in good hands and underscored the importance of the partnership between the Department of Journalism and Communication and the School of Public Health, describing it as a vital collaboration that brings together strategic communication and public health expertise. This dynamic, multidisciplinary approach, she noted, is essential to developing practical solutions that empower communities, strengthen health systems, and ultimately improve livelihoods.
The course offers a hands-on, multidisciplinary learning experience, with participants intended to explore key modules including Health Communication and Promotion, Risk Communication, Smart Advocacy, Community Mapping, Community Mobilisation and Empowerment, and Strategies for Community Engagement. The course combines theory with real-world application, and its assessment includes a field-based project and a final exam.
“You are our first cohort. We are seeing the fruits of our efforts in bringing this short course to life. It was born out of a joint initiative to develop a Master’s programme in Health Promotion and Communication,” said Dr. Christine Nalwadda, Head of the Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences. “We carried out extensive consultations with our different key stakeholders during the process and discovered a real need for such a course. It was the stakeholders who even named it; this course name didn’t come from us.”
For Kisaakye, by the end of the course in July, she hopes to have sharpened her skills in health promotion and strategic communication, particularly in crafting targeted messages that help individuals and communities effectively respond to threats such as antimicrobial resistance. She also aims to gain practical experience in designing, implementing, and evaluating community health initiatives that can strengthen her advocacy and drive lasting impact.
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