Computing & IS
Google invests US$1.5M in Mak Ocular: An AI Automated Mobile Microscopic Diagnosis of Malaria, Cancer & Tuberculosis
By Proscovia Nabatte
Makerere University under its Artificial Intelligence Lab has received a grant funding worth US$1,500,000 from Google to support its Ocular project that is undertaking research on usage of Artificial Intelligence to enhance the diagnosis process of Malaria, Tuberculosis and Cervical Cancer in Uganda. This grant is in addition to what Makerere University received from Google’s philanthropic arm in 2019 for development of AirQo, an air monitoring project that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and low-cost technologies to generate and quantify data on air pollution in the designated areas in Uganda.
The Ocular Project was officially launched on 13th September 2023, by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications Technology and National Guidance (MoICT & NG), Dr. Aminah Zawedde. The research is being undertaken by Makerere University College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS) in collaboration with the Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH).
According the Project Principal Investigator Dr. Rose Nakasi, The Ocular Project aims at building a standardized point-of-care mobile microscopy for disease diagnosis with a specificity of up to 99%. The solution’s current focus is on malaria, tuberculosis and cervical cancer in Uganda.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Rose Nakasi noted that the project team benched on the rampant challenges faced by the laboratory experts while undertaking diagnosis procedures. “In our interaction with some experts from the health sector, we found out that it was indeed straining for health centres in Uganda to manage the escalating number of patients that seek for laboratory screening tests. In addition, the team noted that the country is also blessed with a few trained laboratory technicians to support the diagnosis process using the microscope,” she said.
“We therefore took advantage of the existing technologies such as the smartphone and the availability of at least a microscope in every health centre across the country to develop a 3D printable adaptor that was attached to an eye piece of the microscope. The 3D adapter was also slotted in the smartphone to capture images. With the capabilities of Artificial intelligence through computer vision, images can be processed and this directs the experts where the pathogens are,” she added.
According to Dr. Nakasi, this process shortens the diagnosis process making it more accurate, quicker and easier to diagnose health conditions and potentially reducing screening time by over 80%. With the new funding support from Google therefore, Dr. Nakasi said that the project will seamlessly expand to other conditions such sickle cell anaemia, intestinal parasites and be scaled up in different pilot hospitals in Uganda.
She also noted that the innovation will be beneficial to patients who require disease diagnosis using microscopy technology, especially in areas where the disease burden and patient load is too large to be handled by the available laboratory experts.
“We believe that our funders were touched by the wider strong community impact the research comes with and we hope that this research will improve the health sector of most of the endemic countries in Africa. I therefore thank Google for seeing the good in our research and for considering Makerere University and Uganda at large for this research project,” she said.
In her remarks, Dr. Aminah Zawedde expressed gladness to be back at Makerere University to launch the second phase of the Google grant funding since 2019.
“This makes me appreciate the goodness of God and the fact that Makerere University is doing amazing things. It is hard to tell how good home is until you leave and then make a return,” she said.
Dr. Zawedde, commended Makerere University for the grounds and foundation it has given to different generations that have stood tall to support the development process of this country in different capacities. “Everyone would like to support research that is impactful and speaking to our problems as the community. Given the zeal that Rose Nakasi had during her studies, there is need to celebrate her,” she said.
According to Dr. Aminah Zawedde, in August 2023, MoICT & NG launched the National Digital Transformational Road Map, a collaborative effort from all partners in Uganda that guides the country on what to focus on in the next five years when creating an enabling environment geared towards digital transformation. The Road Map is hinged on the Uganda Vision 2040 of transforming Uganda into a modern and prosperous country.
She also mentioned that the National Digital Transformation Roadmap premises on five pillars including; Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity, Cybersecurity, Data Protection and Privacy, Digital Skilling, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
“The Ocular we are launching toady is an innovation and with support, we can scale it up into a commercial product that can be used not only in Uganda but across the continent,” Dr. Zawedde said.
She thanked Dr. Rose Nakasi and the team for having been able to undertake an outstanding research that has been internationally recognized as worthy of a additional global funding from Google. She called upon other researchers to take their research and publication seriously and urged the University Management and Government of Uganda to continue providing support and an enabling environment for researchers to thrive.
In the same spirit the Vice Chairperson of the Education Service Commission Mrs. Elizabeth Gabona, recognized the dynamics that have equally set the pace for the country to both innovate and adapt. With reference to the outstanding work from Dr. Rose Nakasi, Mrs. Gabona noted that there is no doubt that both genders (female and male) are positively contributing to technological improvement in Uganda.
Representing the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Tonny Oyana, the Principal of CoCIS thanked Google for believing and investing immensely in Makerere University research.
“This is impressive. The funds for research in key areas of human health, using low-cost technology for disease diagnosis is expected to significantly improve health outcomes in Africa. We are immensely proud of the Ocular team at Makerere AI Lab”, he said.
According Prof. Oyana, the human brain is often constrained and the ability to enhance our intelligence is very critical for survival. It is therefore on this note that CoCIS has gone ahead to tame this ability through artificial intelligence which is also known as usage of external cognition.
“Sometimes we need to celebrate where there is a win. At Makerere University we pride in our efforts to undertake rigorous research that shapes societies through impactful community work.” Said Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, the Makerere Academic Registrar.
Google.org’s AI for the Global Goals Impact Challenge is part of Google’s company-wide commitment to help accelerate progress towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Makerere University is one of 15 organizations receiving support through the $25 million philanthropy challenge for projects that use artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate progress towards these goals. Out of many submitted proposals, 15 were selected for funding. Importantly, all of the projects will be open-sourced, so that other organizations can build upon the work.
“Each of the 15 selected organizations share our vision for using AI to accelerate progress on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and each organization brings their own expertise to help move the needle,” said James Manyika, Google’s SVP of Research, Technology and Society. “We are inspired by the possibilities they see for how AI can be harnessed to help people solve societal problems, and are excited about the collective impact they will have over the next three years.”
Highlighting the relevance of artificial intelligence, Assoc. Prof. Engineer Bainomugisha said that for the last ten years the Department of Computer Science at Makerere University decided to focus on artificial intelligence, data science and cyber security with major application areas such as health, agriculture, language, environment and finance.
“We believe that our work contributes directly to the realization of the digital transformation agenda of this country as we carefully balance the scientific rigor and society impact. We also strongly believe that technologies like AI have the huge potential to transform societies and improve efficiency,” he noted.
Computing & IS
Makerere Launches Scholarly Guide, Calls for Increased Research, Publication and Innovation in Africa
VC Emphasizes Research as Key to Africa’s Global Integration
Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, has urged universities across Africa to invest in research, publication, and innovation as a pathway to greater participation in the global knowledge economy.
Speaking at the launch of From Records to Publication: A Guide to Academic Authorship, edited by Prof. Elisam Magara of the East African School of Library and Information Sciences, Prof. Nawangwe highlighted Africa’s low contribution to global scholarship. “Although Africa accounts for 15 percent of the world’s population, it produces only 3 percent of global research publications,” he said.
“There are historical reasons for this,” the Vice Chancellor continued, referencing centuries of slavery and colonialism. “You cannot brush away 600 years of subjugation. And we Africans have not even written enough about that. If we want to move Africa back into the global community, we must invest in research, publication, and innovation.”
He cited China as an example, noting how the country’s investment in research and education has translated into economic and global influence. “When we say China is the factor of the world, it is not that people just wake up and begin making things. They invest in education, in publication, in research. If we want to transform Africa, we must do the same.”
Prof. Nawangwe highlighted Makerere’s progress, revealing that annual peer-reviewed publications have grown from about 500 a decade ago, to 700, and now exceed 2,000. He acknowledged that the university still trails South African institutions, partly because they operate numerous local journals that absorb significant volumes of research. “We are not fully utilising the brand of Makerere University Press,” he said, pledging support to strengthen the press and scale up journal production.
He also reaffirmed the university’s strategy to reduce excessive undergraduate enrolment and expand graduate training to boost research output. “Let us create time for professors to do research and supervise more graduate students,” he said.
Commending Professor Magara and his team for producing the authorship guide, Prof. Nawangwe described the book as an essential handbook for Master’s and PhD students, early-career researchers, and universities across the region striving to become research-led. “This is at the heart of the university. If we invest in research and publication, we secure our future,” he said.
Book Recommended as Mandatory Guide by College Principal
Makerere University’s Principal of the College of Computing and Information Sciences, Prof. Tonny Oyana, called for the newly launched volume to be adopted as a mandatory guide for graduate students and newly appointed lecturers. “This is not a bad book for our first-year PhD students to start with,” he said. “Even those who are hired as junior lecturers still need mentorship. If I were the Vice Chancellor, I would put this book as required reading for every new hire.”
Prof. Oyana reflected on his personal contribution to the book, revealing that administrative responsibilities nearly forced him to withdraw. “Because of the work that I do, I was about to give up,” he admitted. “But Professor Magara was persistent. He came back to me and gave me more time.”
He credited a PhD student, Caroline Ilako, for assisting with library research and literature reviews, saying, “She did a wonderful job. We went back and forth through revisions, but finally we produced the work.”
On the quality of the book, Prof. Oyana said, “When you pick up a book, look at how it is laid out. The quick judgment tells you about the quality. This is well put together. We are beginning to show quality comparable to Western presses.”
He also challenged traditional notions of “publish or perish,” noting, “As scholarship evolves, those who evaluate scholarship must also adjust. Impact, innovation, and tangible products are increasingly valued alongside journal articles.”
Editor Highlights Research-Based Approach
Prof. Elisam Magara, the book’s editor, explained that the guide is designed to support scholars from the moment they conceive a research idea to the point their work is published and read. “I looked at the books we were using and asked myself: which kind of book can truly guide students? We needed a clear guide from the time a scholar thinks of writing up to the time the book is read,” he said.
He detailed the rigorous editorial process that began in 2022, including international calls for contributions, peer review of abstracts, writeshops for feedback, and multiple rounds of chapter reviews. “Don’t write and keep,” he advised. “Your book must have impact. It must reach the public and be used.”
Prof. Magara also acknowledged the sabbatical granted by the Vice-Chancellor, which enabled him to balance teaching and editorial responsibilities. “This book is meant not just for Makerere but for scholars across the region and beyond,” he said.
Mak Press Outlines Rigorous Publishing Process
Dr. Isaac Tibasima, representing the Managing Director of Makerere University Press, explained the publication pathway. “Once you bring your manuscript to the press, we take it through evaluation, external peer review, revisions, copy-editing, typesetting, and pre-press review before printing,” he said.
He also highlighted the press’s efforts to strengthen college-based journals. “We will not run the journals, but they will be published under the imprint of Makerere University. If we produce consistent issues, we can then move toward global indexing,” Dr. Tibasima said.
All new journals and articles now carry Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to enhance discoverability, while past publications are being retroactively assigned DOIs. “We are not there yet, but we are moving there, and we are intentional about getting there,” he added.
School Leaders Celebrate Scholarship and Mentorship
In welcome remarks, Dr. Sarah Kaddu, Dean of the School, said, “This event is a celebration of scholarship, intellectual discipline, and the journey of knowledge creation. This book speaks directly to one of the most critical challenges facing scholars—transforming research records into publishable work.”
Dr. Sylvia Namujuzi, Head of the Department of Records and Archives Management, added, “This book is timely. It responds to real challenges faced by early-career researchers, postgraduate students, and even seasoned academics—questions of structure, authorship ethics, citation, collaboration, and navigating the publication ecosystem.”
She concluded: “Well-managed records are not endpoints; they are the beginning of inquiry, reflection, and publication. This guide demonstrates that pathway.”
Book Outline
- Introduction: Publication Journey. (Prof. Elisam Magara)
PART I: Foundations of Academic Authorship.
- Conceptual Foundations of Academic Authorship
Elisam Magara and Joseph Kiplangat.
- Archives as a Source of Information for Academic Writing
David Luyombya, Sylivia Namujuzi and Francis Ekwaro
- The place of Oral History in Contemporary Writing
Elisam Magara, James Nkanshah-Obrempong and Nthan Nzyoka Joshua
- Managing Ethical Dilemmas in Academic Writing
Maria Tsvere, Tsitsi Kanonge and Joselin Chigwada
- The Role of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights in Protecting Works of Authors and Publishers in Uganda
Ronald Kakungulu Mayambala
PART II: Managing the Publication Process
- A Manuscript: From Inception to Publication
Sarah Mirembe Kyankya
- Managing Co-Authorship in Academic Writing
Gankhanani Moffat Moyo
- Managing Illustrations and Visual Artworks in Academic Writing
Bob Magara Rutatugirwa
- Tapping into Open Access Platforms for Gainful Authorship
George Muganga
- Managing the Costs in Academic Authorship
Aloysius Rukundo
- The Important Translation in Publication
Monica Mweseli
- Citations and Referencing in Academic Writing
Clement Lutaaya Nabutto, Namujuzi Sylivia, and Daviv Luyombya, Makerere University
- Referencing Management Software In Academic Writing
Odeke Moses Osamai and Constant Okello-Obura
- Compliance with International Bibliographic Control Standards in Academic Authorship
Elisam Magara and Dniel Osinde
PART III: Secondary Services in Academic Writing
- Journal Impact Factor and its Role when Submitting a Publication Article
Tonny J. Oyana and Caroline Ilako
- Managing Mentorship Programmes for Scholarly Writing
Diyoshak Rhoda Danladi and Elisam Magara
Report by
Jane Anyango, Principal Communication Officer CoCIS
Ritah Atukwatse, Journalism and Communication Student (2nd Year)
Fred Kanwagi, Journalism and Communication Student (3rd Year)
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