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Mak and Karolinska to Continue Prioritising Sustainable Health

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Makerere University and Karolinska Institutet Sweden have embarked on undertaking strategies aimed at ensuring that sustainable health becomes a priority on the global agenda. This was revealed during a high level meeting involving Makerere University Management and a delegation from the Karolinska Institutet Sweden, held on Tuesday 6th February 2024 at the Rotary Peace Centre Board Room, Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe welcomed the Vice President of Karolinska Institutet Prof. Martin Bergö and his delegation to Makerere University. Reflecting on Makerere University’s 100 year journey (1922-2022), the Vice Chancellor pointed out that the institution has been at the forefront of training human resources who have been key in the identification and finding solutions to various development challenges.

Makerere is a very collaborative university. We have collaborations within Africa of course, most of our external collaborations are in Europe and the United States. Times Higher Education (THE) considers Makerere the most collaborative university on their database,” said Professor Barnabas Nawangwe.

Adding that; “We publish jointly with a professor at another university, more than any other university in the world, 167 MOUs signed in one year and quite a number of them are very active and particularly in the College of Health Sciences.”

Professor Nawangwe also expressed the government of Uganda’s support to the Makerere University’s research agenda through its funding commitments under the Research and Innovation Fund.“When the SIDA support was due to end, I accompanied the Swedish Ambassador to go and see our Minister of Education and Sports, who is our First Lady as well, and he told her, ‘Swedish support is going to end in two years. Is the government going to take over?’ And she said, ‘yes we shall.’ For the first time, the government committed an equivalent of about $8 million dollars every year for research at Makerere University. A lot of projects have been funded. There are more than 1,250 since the project started four years that have been funded. 39% of all the grants are going to health,” shared Prof. Nawangwe.

Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (Right) and Prof. Martin Bergö (Left) during the courtesy call prior to the meeting. Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (Right) and Prof. Martin Bergö (Left) during the courtesy call prior to the meeting.

As Makerere University embraces the next century, Prof. Nawangwe said that partnerships with Karolinska Institutet will be leveraged to ensure that research in sustainable health takes centre stage.  “Global Health is a major issue. The Centre for Excellence for Sustainable Health, which is a collaboration between Makerere University in Uganda and Karolinska Institutet in Sweden will be central in addressing global issues.”

In this regard, the Vice Chancellor implored the researchers at Makerere and Karolinska to explore bringing more academic disciplines on board including those in agriculture, food security, gender, architecture, to mention but a few, for a holistic approach.  In the same vein, the Director of Research and Graduate Training, Prof. Edward Bbaale proposed the need to include smart energy options, climate change, nutrition as well as the environment into sustainable health. For instance, how do nutritionists contribute to sustainable health?

Prof. Tobias Alfvén, a Pediatrician and Researcher at Karolinska Institutet, and Co-Chair of the CESH Working Group, underscored the fundamental role of the longstanding 20-year relationship between the two institutions and the dedicated teams involved in facilitating this work. Reflecting on the genesis of their collaboration, he explains, “We met just a month before the pandemic hit Sweden and Uganda, and we started collaboration; everything went online, and we started developing what became the Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Health (CESH). Without that long-term thinking and the good team already there, we would not have achieved that.”

Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze, the Dean, Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) and Co-Chair of the Centre’s Working Group informed the University Management and the visiting delegation that sustainable health involves humans, animals, and the environment. In this regard, the CESH has embraced a multi-disciplinary approach towards research by involving students from different disciplines. She pointed out that CESH has identified students from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (studying climate change) and those from MakSPH (Environmental Health Sciences) to form research teams that will provide solutions to global health issues.

Left to Right: Prof. Umar Kakumba, Prof. Martin Bergö, Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze and Ms. Monika Berge-Thelander during a courtesy call on the DVCAA in his office. Senate Building, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Left to Right: Prof. Umar Kakumba, Prof. Martin Bergö, Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze and Ms. Monika Berge-Thelander during a courtesy call on the DVCAA in his office.

The CESH Working Group’s three-year commitment to promoting sustainable health practices was emphasized by Prof. Wanyenze who also reported a notable shift in focus toward sustainable health during sessions of the World Health Summit held last year.

“We can work together and learn from each other and we can bridge those gaps and the challenges that are leaving some of these vulnerable groups behind. It might be refugees’ issues in Uganda, it might be other disadvantaged groups within Sweden, but we can learn from one another and be able to reach out to them,” Professor Rhoda Wanyenze.

She added that; “When we are thinking about our health and wellbeing today, we should not have the health and well-being of future populations because there are many things we do today to keep ourselves happy and healthy that will affect those that are coming after us.”

Dr. Roy Mayega, an alumnus of Karolinska Institutet and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at MakSPH acknowledged Makerere University for valuing the partnership through funding research in sustainable health.  He also pointed out that the research teams were discovering new issues such as gender and climate change in the realization of sustainable health.

Left to Right: Prof. Roy Mayega, Prof. Stefan Peterson Swartling and Prof. Tobias Alfvén during the courtesy call on the DVCAA in his office. Senate Building, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Left to Right: Prof. Roy Mayega, Prof. Stefan Peterson Swartling and Prof. Tobias Alfvén during the courtesy call on the DVCAA in his office.

On behalf of Karolinska Institutet, Prof. Martin Bergö thanked the Makerere University Management for the warm reception and the commitment to sustainable health. He mentioned that this was his first visit to Uganda and Makerere University. Acknowledging the partnership between both institutions for the last 22 years, Prof. Bergö who is the current Chairman of the Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Health expressed delight at being part of this collaboration.

He noted that all crises, whether caused by pandemics, poverty, conflicts, or climate change, have an impact on both physical and mental health. He further noted that the link between human, animal, and plant health, known as “One health” increases the importance of collaborating and working together across borders and between different sectors of society.

Prof. Bergö nevertheless acknowledged that people are at the heart of collaborations. “However, partnerships are foremost between people”, he noted, before adding “Building equitable personal relationships and learning from one another. This is perhaps the most important objective of this visit!”

He commended CESH, whose evaluation of the first three years of operation 2021-2023 revealed that the Centre was well on its way to achieving the set objectives. CESH has to date developed four out of planned five tools for working with sustainable health, while the last one is being finalized. “The tools are being used in education and research and I am happy to learn that we are making an impact.”

Prof. Martin Bergö (Left) and Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze (Right) during the courtesy call on the DVCAA in his office. Senate Building, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Martin Bergö (Left) and Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze (Right) during the courtesy call on the DVCAA in his office.

Prof. Bergö equally commended Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and the former President of Karolinska Institutet, Prof. Ole Petter Ottersen on co-authoring a publication defining sustainable health. Other co-authors included Rhoda Wanyenze, Tobias Alfvén, Rawlance Njejjo, Nina Viberg, Roy William Mayega, and Stefan Swartling Peterson.

“I have read it with much interest and see myself as an ambassador for spreading the concept in different contexts. I am pleased to understand that this definition is the point of departure for all activities devised and carried out by the Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Health” he said, adding that the Karolinska Institutet President, Annika Östman Wernerson is looking forward to visiting Makerere University this November.

During this interactive meeting, both institutions underscored the role of the library in advancing research and preservation of knowledge. The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe pointed that the Makerere University Library serves as a national reference library as well as a legal and United Nations repository. He therefore acknowledged the support received from NORAD and Sida in the professionalization of library services and making it a model library in Africa.  Prof. Bergö mentioned that libraries are the guardians of knowledge and thanked the Vice Chancellor for inviting the University Librarian to the discussion.

Makerere University Management Members who attended the meeting included: Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs)-Assoc. Prof. Umar Kakumba, Director Research and Graduate Training-Prof. Edward Bbaale, Director of Quality Assurance-Dr. Cyprian Misinde, Academic Registrar-Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, University Librarian-Assoc. Prof. Ruth Nalumaga, Deputy University Secretary-Mr. Simon Kizito, Head of Advancement Office- Mr. Awel Uwihanganye, and Principal Public Relations Officer-Ms Ritah Namisango

Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (Left) and Prof. Martin Bergö (right) interact with staff from Makerere and Karolinska during the meeting. Rotary Peace Centre Board Room, Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (Left) and Prof. Martin Bergö (right) interact with staff from Makerere and Karolinska during the meeting.

The Karolinska Institutet delegation included; Head of the International Office-Erika Dabhilkar, Co-chair of CESH-Tobias Alfvén, International Coordinator-Monika Berge-Thelander, Project Coordinator-Nina Viberg, Member of CESH Steering Committee-Stefan Peterson Swartling, and Communications Officer-Kseniya Hartvigsson.

Teams Visit the Swedish Ambassador’s residence

While hosting the two institutions, H.E. Maria Håkansson, the Ambassador of Sweden to Uganda, emphasized the significant ties between the two nations and their respective peoples as key drivers for this 22 year-old partnership.

“Collaboration between Karolinska and Makerere is still one of the most important international flagships. Which I think says a lot of what has been built and what the relations that have been creating between institutions but of course also between people. Also, we all know individually what role the university researchers play in the country’s policy development,” said Amb. Håkansson

Adam Kahsai-Rudebeck, First Secretary – Deputy Head of Cooperation Health and Social Protection at the Swedish Embassy added “We look forward to just building upon the already established relationships and initiatives that are ongoing.”

A Video Highlighting the Visit

Highlights of KI- Mak #CESH Working group Engagements in Kampala, February 2024

Photography and Video by Davidson Ndyabahika

Mak Editor

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MakCHS Staff recognised for their contribution to health at 2025 HIHA Awards

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Staff from the Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) recognised for their contribution to the health sector in Uganda and beyond during 6th edition of the Heroes in Health Awards (HIHA) held 14th November 2025 during the Africa Health Summit at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, Kampala Uganda, East Africa. Professor Moses Galukande (Right) and Dr. Mary Nabbosa (Left) with Hon. Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng (Centre) after receiving their respective Minister’s Special Recognition Awards.

Professor Moses Kamya, Professor Nelson Sewankambo, Professor David Serwadda and Professor Moses Galukande, staff from the Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) were recognised for their contribution to the health sector in Uganda and beyond. The recognition was at the 6th edition of the Heroes in Health Awards (HIHA) held on 14th November 2025 during the Africa Health Summit at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, Kampala.

Professors Kamya, Sewankambo and Serwadda won the Excellence in Health Academia Award. The award is in recognition of their outstanding contribution to advancing health policy, practice and innovation through teaching, research and mentorship. HIHA organisers noted that the legacy of the three professors inspires the next generation of health leaders.

In comments from staff at MakCHS the professors are summed up as, ‘senior colleagues, teachers, and mentors for the lifelong dedication to strengthening health systems, advancing ground-breaking research shaping national policy, and training generations of public health leaders. Their work has elevated not only Makerere University, but the entire health sector in Uganda and beyond’.

Hon. Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng and Dr. Diana Atwine with Professors Moses Galukande (Left), Nelson Sewankambo (3rd Left), David Serwadda (2nd Right) and another official. Staff from the Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) recognised for their contribution to the health sector in Uganda and beyond during 6th edition of the Heroes in Health Awards (HIHA) held 14th November 2025 during the Africa Health Summit at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Hon. Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng and Dr. Diana Atwine with Professors Moses Galukande (Left), Nelson Sewankambo (3rd Left), David Serwadda (2nd Right) and another official.

Professor Moses Galukande received the Minister’s Special Recognition Award for his outstanding service and dedication to advancing health outcomes and innovation.

HIHA is an annual public-private partnership initiative launched in 2019 by the Ministry of Health in Uganda with support from Xtraordinary Media. It is a public choice award where members of the public nominate and vote for individuals, organizations, and programs making outstanding contributions to the health sector. The awards aim to recognize and celebrate unsung heroes across Uganda, including frontline health workers, innovators, researchers, policymakers, students, and community health champions. “Strengthening Health Systems, Empowering Communities through Self-Care and Sustainable Solutions,” emphasizing the importance of community engagement, innovation, and resilience in healthcare delivery was the theme for HIHA 2025.

Zaam Ssali
Zaam Ssali

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MakSPH, MOH and JMS Lead National Efforts to Build a Resilient Health Supply Chain

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Participants in the stakeholder consultative workshop convened by MakSPH to guide the research component of the initiative on Monday, 10 November, at Kabira Country Club. Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), Ministry of Health (MoH) and Joint Medical Stores (JMS) launched of project to boost Uganda’s health supply chain backed by the Gates Foundation to improve emergency deliveries and use data to ensure lasting resilience, flag off-6th November 2025, stakeholder consultative workshop-10th November 2025, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Kampala, 11 November 2025 —Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Joint Medical Stores (JMS) have launched a project to boost Uganda’s health supply chain. Backed by the Gates Foundation, it aims to improve emergency deliveries and use data to ensure lasting resilience.

The intervention began on Thursday, 6 November, with the flag-off of emergency distribution of medicines and health supplies at JMS in Nsambya. Under a sub-award from MakSPH, JMS is leading warehousing, distribution, redistribution of essential commodities, reverse logistics, and technical support to health facilities, including digital training for over 1,100 facilities in the Integrated Online Ordering System. The operation aims to deliver USAID-supplied medicines that had remained in storage since donor support was suspended earlier this year, preventing expiry and restoring last-mile delivery across the country.

Building on this, MakSPH convened a stakeholder consultative workshop on Monday, 10 November, at Kabira Country Club to guide the research component of the initiative. Officials from the Ministry of Health, development partners, and health logistics experts reviewed the scope of a new study on strategic analytics to strengthen a sustainable and resilient health supply chain. The consultation focused on refining research questions to ensure alignment with national priorities and stakeholder needs.

Dr. Suzanne Kiwanuka, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Health Policy, Planning, and Management (HPPM), stressed the need for practical, evidence-based collaboration.

“Our commitment is to make sure that whatever evidence we generate is useful. We want perspectives on governance, implementation, and the frontline, because when the supply chain isn’t functioning, a lot goes wrong,” said Prof. Kiwanuka.

Dr. Suzanne Kiwanuka, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Health Policy, Planning, and Management (HPPM), speaking at the inaugural consultative meeting with stakeholders at Kabira Country Club on Monday, November 10, 2025. Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), Ministry of Health (MoH) and Joint Medical Stores (JMS) launched of project to boost Uganda’s health supply chain backed by the Gates Foundation to improve emergency deliveries and use data to ensure lasting resilience, flag off-6th November 2025, stakeholder consultative workshop-10th November 2025, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Dr. Suzanne Kiwanuka, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Health Policy, Planning, and Management (HPPM), speaking at the inaugural consultative meeting with stakeholders at Kabira Country Club on Monday, November 10, 2025.

The Ministry of Health has welcomed ongoing support from partners to stabilise the supply chain.

“I want to draw attention back to our 10-year health supply chain roadmap. Despite disruptions, we made important milestones in the first five years, and with support from Makerere University School of Public Health and the Gates Foundation, we are now focused on understanding challenges and building a resilient, sustainable supply chain,” said Dr. Ajulong Martha Grace, Assistant Commissioner, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain and Logistics.

Dr. Ajulong Martha Grace, Assistant Commissioner, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain and Logistics submitting during the meeting. Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), Ministry of Health (MoH) and Joint Medical Stores (JMS) launched of project to boost Uganda’s health supply chain backed by the Gates Foundation to improve emergency deliveries and use data to ensure lasting resilience, flag off-6th November 2025, stakeholder consultative workshop-10th November 2025, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Dr. Ajulong Martha Grace, Assistant Commissioner, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain and Logistics submitting during the meeting.

Over the past decade, Uganda’s health supply chain has made steady progress under the 10-Year Roadmap for Health Supply Chain Self-Reliance (2021/22–2031/32), which sets out a vision for a self-reliant, efficient, and transparent system that ensures uninterrupted access to essential medicines. Efforts have focused on increasing financing, digitising logistics, strengthening local manufacturing, and expanding infrastructure.

Despite these gains, the system remains vulnerable. Limited financing, capacity gaps at subnational levels, and poor commodity reporting have contributed to stockouts and wastage. Heavy reliance on donor support, compounded with back-to-back shocks, has left Uganda’s health system exposed to shocks, such as the recent suspension of USAID support, which disrupted last-mile delivery to over 530 private not-for-profit health facilities.

Official flag off, Dr. Bildard Baguma, Executive Director of Joint Medical Store, Ms. Pamela Achii, Procurement and Supply Chain Management Specialist at Ministry of Health and Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze, the Dean, Makerere University School of Public Health and Principal Investigator of the Project at JMS offices in Nsambya last week. Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), Ministry of Health (MoH) and Joint Medical Stores (JMS) launched of project to boost Uganda’s health supply chain backed by the Gates Foundation to improve emergency deliveries and use data to ensure lasting resilience, flag off-6th November 2025, stakeholder consultative workshop-10th November 2025, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Official flag off, Dr. Bildard Baguma, Executive Director of Joint Medical Store, Ms. Pamela Achii, Procurement and Supply Chain Management Specialist at Ministry of Health and Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze, the Dean, Makerere University School of Public Health and Principal Investigator of the Project at JMS offices in Nsambya last week.

Commodities worth more than UGX 79 billion have remained in storage, risking expiry and could potentially reverse service delivery gains. The Gates Foundation’s support comes at a critical moment to stabilise last-mile distribution while generating analytics to address deeper structural challenges.

“Before these financial disruptions, our public sector supply chain was already under intense pressure to meet rising last-mile demands. The current challenges are a critical opportunity to address long-standing bottlenecks, improve delivery of essential medicines, strengthen real-time monitoring, and build a more sustainable health system in Uganda,” said Timothy Musila, a Health Policy, Planning and Financing Specialist.

Timothy Musila, a Health Policy, Planning and Financing Specialist speaking at the consultative meeting. Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), Ministry of Health (MoH) and Joint Medical Stores (JMS) launched of project to boost Uganda’s health supply chain backed by the Gates Foundation to improve emergency deliveries and use data to ensure lasting resilience, flag off-6th November 2025, stakeholder consultative workshop-10th November 2025, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Timothy Musila, a Health Policy, Planning and Financing Specialist speaking at the consultative meeting.

MakSPH, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, will carry out Strategic Systems Analytics to strengthen Uganda’s supply chain. The research will examine financing gaps, fiscal space, operational inefficiencies, and performance at the subnational and last-mile levels.  This co-created evidence generation will also identify opportunities for sustainable financing and efficiency gains to reduce reliance on external aid and to guide reforms that ensure that essential medicines and products remain accessible to all Ugandans.

L-R: The project team, Timothy Musila, a Health Policy, Planning and Financing Specialist, Pamela Achii, Procurement and Supply Chain Management Specialist at the Ministry, and Dr. Suzanne Kiwanuka share notes shortly after the consultative meeting at Kabira Country Club, Kampala. Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), Ministry of Health (MoH) and Joint Medical Stores (JMS) launched of project to boost Uganda’s health supply chain backed by the Gates Foundation to improve emergency deliveries and use data to ensure lasting resilience, flag off-6th November 2025, stakeholder consultative workshop-10th November 2025, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
L-R: The project team, Timothy Musila, a Health Policy, Planning and Financing Specialist, Pamela Achii, Procurement and Supply Chain Management Specialist at the Ministry, and Dr. Suzanne Kiwanuka share notes shortly after the consultative meeting at Kabira Country Club, Kampala.

This work is spearheaded by Professor Rhoda Wanyenze, as the Principal Investigator, and Associate Professor Suzanne Kiwanuka, the Co-Principal Investigator/Research Technical Lead on the Makerere University side. Dr. Charles Olaro, Director General of Health Services at the Ministry of Health, is the focal person on a five-member steering committee overseeing the implementation. The team includes Pamela Achii, Procurement and Supply Chain Management Specialist at the Ministry, and Mr. Timothy Musila.

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JASH2025 wraps with the 23rd Matthew Lukwiya Memorial Lecture and Kampala Declaration Statement

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Panelists moderated by ED IDI-Dr. Andrew Kambugu (Left) reflect on Dr. Lukwiya's legacy during the 23rd Matthew Lukwiya Memorial Lecture on 7th November 2025. Ministry of Health (MoH), Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), Makerere University College of Health Science (MakCHS) and other partners jointly hosting the National Annual Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases (NACNDC) and 19th Joint Annual Scientific Health (JASH) Conference 2025, 23rd Matthew Lukwiya Memorial Lecture, Kampala Declaration Statement and Closing Ceremony 5th November 2025, Victoria Hall, Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

The 19th Joint Annual Scientific Health Conference (JASH) and Inaugural National Annual Communicable and Non-Communicable Conference (NACNDC) held at Speke Resort Munyonyo ended on Friday 7th November, 2025 with the 23rd Matthew Lukwiya Memorial Lecture and a Kampala Declaration Statement.

The joint conference that began on 3rd November, 2025 themed, ‘Unified Action Against Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases’ was organised by Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS), Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) and Ministry of Health (MoH). The meeting brought together representatives from Central Government, Ministry of Health, academia, civil society, local governments, private sector, development partners, professional associations, local governments and communities.

Kampala Declaration Statement

Dr. David Musoke, Assoc. Professor at MakSPH who was Co-Chair of the Organising Committee delivered the Kampala Declaration which defined the priorities/commitments of the delegates from the dialogue at the conference.

The declaration highlighted the background of setting the priorities as thus: 1. Uganda’s dual disease burden from communicable diseases (CDs) alongside the growing rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). 2. The biological, social and clinical intersections between CDs and NCDs, which compete for limited resources. 3. Threats posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR), climate-sensitive diseases, zoonotic spillovers, and emergency outbreaks such as Ebola, COVID-19, and Marburg. 4. Uganda’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the Africa CDC’s New Public Health Order, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the International Health Regulations (IHR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA). 5. The integration of health services at facility level continues to face challenges due to high patient-to-health worker ratios and inadequate infrastructure, which impede the delivery of comprehensive, timely, and quality healthcare services;

Emphasizing the need to involve all stakeholders—including from education, agriculture, environment, engineering, urban planning, gender, as well as community and religious leaders, and others—in the fight against communicable and non-communicable diseases; 6. The persistent challenges in access to healthcare across the country due to delays in diagnosis and treatment-seeking, and emphasizing the urgent need to strengthen early detection, ensure timely access to quality healthcare, and enhance community awareness about prompt medical attention; 7. Protection and promotion of human rights are fundamental to ensuring health, dignity, and well-being for all citizens, as these rights form the  foundation of equitable access to quality healthcare services; 8. The global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), now causing an estimated 700,000 deaths annually, and recognizing its strong link to self-medication, poor diagnostic capacity, and weak public health interventions; 9. Health policies and investments have focused more on curative than preventive care, underscoring the need to reinstate a strong prevention-oriented approach; 10. Many Ugandans remain inadequately informed about health issues affecting them and their role in promoting health within their communities; 11. Rapid industrialization, urbanization, and lifestyle changes are significantly contributing to the rising burden of NCDs;

The Kampala Declaration was presented as a shared call to action, a platform for sustained collaboration, and a blueprint for strengthening integrated and equitable health systems. The declaration is premised on the following priorities:

  • Multisectoral Collaboration and One Health Approach: Affirmation of the requirement for involvement of the whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach to accelerate disease prevention, health promotion, and self-care through evidence-based awareness.
  • Integrated, People-Centered Disease Prevention and Care: The urgent need to focus on people, not diseases, using a life-course approach and strengthening integrated service delivery across CDs and NCDs at all levels.
  • Strengthened Data, Research, and Policy Translation: Recognition of the importance of timely, interoperable, and disaggregated data to inform policy, financing, and implementation decisions. In addition, commit to collaboration between academic institutions, policymakers, CSOs, and community influencers to bridge the gap between research and practice.
  • Financing: Commit to advocate for increased domestic financing to progressively reduce dependence on external aid, ensuring predictable and sustainable resources for integrated disease prevention and care. Promote efficiency and accountability in health spending by strengthening budget tracking, performance-based financing, and public financial management systems. Support innovative financing mechanisms, including public-private partnerships, social health insurance, and community-based financing schemes to expand coverage and affordability.

Specific calls were directed to the various stakeholders respective to their mandates and roles.

Government of Uganda and the Ministry of Health: To accelerate implementation of integrated strategic plans for CDs, NCDs, and epidemic preparedness under a unified health systems approach; Institutionalize NACNDC–JASH as the official Annual Integrated National Health platform for disease dialogue and innovation, co-led by the Ministry of Health and academia; Mobilize domestic and international financing to strengthen primary healthcare, laboratory networks, and community systems; Enforce laws and policies aimed at preventing and controlling substance abuse nationwide.

Academia: Generate policy-relevant evidence and drive innovation in diagnostics, surveillance, and culturally appropriate care; Establish multidisciplinary working groups to connect research, clinical practice, and policy; Train health professionals in integrated, competency-based, and future-ready approaches; Create innovation hubs and partnerships linking academia, communities, and industry to co-develop scalable, people-centred solutions; Leverage technology and innovation to effectively address CDs and NCDs; and Prioritize locally led research focused on Uganda’s health realities, including NCDs, CDs, mental health, and climate-linked risks.

Development Partners and Donors: Align technical and financial support with Uganda’s integrated disease control priorities; Support the development of a national research agenda driven by local health needs; Strengthen health system resilience, digital transformation, and community-led interventions; and promote regional knowledge sharing, South-South collaboration, and local manufacturing of diagnostics and medicines.

 Private Sector and Civil Society: Engage in public-private partnerships to expand access to diagnostics, care, and innovation; Champion community-responsive models for disease prevention; rehabilitation, and continuity of care; Strengthen advocacy, accountability, and public education through multimedia and grassroots platforms; Raise public awareness on mental health, sickle cell disease, asthma, and diabetes, integrating these services into primary care and reducing stigma and discrimination.

In view of the background, priorities and expected action from the stakeholders as highlighted above, the declaration also endorsed the development and dissemination of: a National Integrated Disease Control Strategy, informed by best practices and policy dialogues from this conference; a Multisectoral Action Framework guiding collaboration among health, education, agriculture, environment, and finance sectors; A Monitoring Mechanism to track implementation and institutionalize annual

reporting on disease integration; and the continuation of joint annual NACNDC and JASH conferences to sustain momentum.

Setting the Pace

Through the conference, keynote speakers delivered addresses which set pace for the dialogue by participants at the conference.

Dr. Queen Dube, Lead – Newborn Programme Implementation, Policies and Standards at the World Health Organisation (WHO), Geneva and Co-Chair of Every Woman, Every Newborn (EWENE) Country Implementation Group highlighted the reasons for rising disease burden of NCDs across sub-Saharan Africa including industrialization and urbanization; shifting dietary patterns; improved means of transport and communication which converts to less movement.

Dr. Dube noted that, the poorer one is, the higher the risk of one dying due to an illness either through communicable or non-communicable diseases. She stressed the importance for a unified action against diseases as opposed to fragmentations or silos by different working groups of various diseases. Duplication of efforts spreads thin the available resources, yet more efficiency and effectiveness could be enjoyed, she added.

Her call for action was, ‘health is interconnected, our response must be to; collaboration saves lives; and together, we can build a healthier, more resilent world’.

Prof. Francis Omaswa delivers the keynote address. Ministry of Health (MoH), Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), Makerere University College of Health Science (MakCHS) and other partners jointly hosting the National Annual Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases (NACNDC) and 19th Joint Annual Scientific Health (JASH) Conference 2025, 23rd Matthew Lukwiya Memorial Lecture, Kampala Declaration Statement and Closing Ceremony 5th November 2025, Victoria Hall, Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Francis Omaswa delivers the keynote address.

Delivering his keynote speech on the final day of the conference, Prof. Francis Omaswa, Founder and Director – African Centre for Global Health and Social Transformation (ACHEST) reminded the delegates that, ‘it is up-to us to achieve our goals provided we commit to do what is expected of us in the best possible way’.

He questioned why Africa continues to lag behind in the global health indices considering the professionals present on the continent. ‘Inclusiveness, equity and working together is the way forward’, he advised.

Prof. Omaswa reminded the delegates that Uganda in particular achieved in areas like HIV/AIDS control, therefore the means we used then must be employed in fighting communicable and non-communicable diseases. He heighted that, some of the means included leadership at all levels, working together, for monitoring and reporting, engagement of youth through the means they respond to among others.

Prof. Francis Omaswa (2nd Right) with panelists that discussed his keynote address. Ministry of Health (MoH), Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), Makerere University College of Health Science (MakCHS) and other partners jointly hosting the National Annual Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases (NACNDC) and 19th Joint Annual Scientific Health (JASH) Conference 2025, 23rd Matthew Lukwiya Memorial Lecture, Kampala Declaration Statement and Closing Ceremony 5th November 2025, Victoria Hall, Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Francis Omaswa (2nd Right) with panelists that discussed his keynote address.

‘Let no one go to sleep, each one of us is a leader at our levels of responsibility and we must make sure that there is coordination and supportive supervision within the health system’, Prof. Omaswa reiterated.

In his keynote speech, Dr. David Serwadda, a Professor in the Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health at MakSPH reminded researchers and academia the importance of their work to disease prevention and control. He stressed that the link between research and implementation is critical for a unified action, and there bridging the gap must be intentional.

Prof. David Serwadda delivers his keynote address on "Health Systems Resilience Amidst Global Funding Cuts: What African Countries Must Do". Ministry of Health (MoH), Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), Makerere University College of Health Science (MakCHS) and other partners jointly hosting the National Annual Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases (NACNDC) and 19th Joint Annual Scientific Health (JASH) Conference 2025, 6th November 2025, Victoria Hall, Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. David Serwadda delivers his keynote address on “Health Systems Resilience Amidst Global Funding Cuts: What African Countries Must Do”.

23rd Dr. Matthew Lukwiya Memorial Lecture

Dr. Matthew Lukwiya is remembered for his leadership and selflessness as a Ugandan physician at the forefront during the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Uganda in 2000 until de succumbed to the disease. He was the supervisor at St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor, outside Gulu City, Uganda; Gulu district was an epicentre of the disease at the time.

As has been the case at the previous JASH conferences, the 23rd edition of the Matthew Lukwiya Memorial Lecture was held on the final day of the conference, themed, “Identified Critical Gaps in the Response to Outbreaks”.

The session convened leading scientists, policymakers, community and health professionals to reflect on lessons learnt from past epidemics and chart strategies for stronger preparedness, response and resilience across the health system.

The Way forward

At the end of the meeting, delegates were advised that information from the meeting will be shared through a link on the MakSPH website and abstracts will be published as well.

Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze, Dean-MakSPH who also represented Prof. Bruce Kirenga, Principal-MakCHS thanked all participants for attending the dual conference and willingness to share information in support of integrating to improve Uganda’ Health System. She also thanked the organising committee and partners for the support leading to a successful conference.

‘What is it that touched you at this conference, what are the takeaways and I implore you to reflect on the discussions and create a change. This is not business as usual and let us make change.’, the Dean said.

Prof. Wanyenze handed the baton to the School of Medicine who will work with the MoH in organising the conference in 2026.

Closing by the Permanent Secretary

PS-MoH, Dr. Diana Atwine. Ministry of Health (MoH), Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), Makerere University College of Health Science (MakCHS) and other partners jointly hosting the National Annual Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases (NACNDC) and 19th Joint Annual Scientific Health (JASH) Conference 2025, 23rd Matthew Lukwiya Memorial Lecture, Kampala Declaration Statement and Closing Ceremony 5th November 2025, Victoria Hall, Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
PS-MoH, Dr. Diana Atwine.

The conference was officially closed by Dr. Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary-MoH. She highlighted five points for all of us to remember as takeaway from the dialogue.

  • All of us should innovate solutions for the challenges before us including innovative leadership. Uganda’s population growth remains high and the resources are not growing at same rate therefore challenges will continue to arise therefore innovation is necessary.
  • Inculcate a culture and mindset change and remember health change begins with each of us.
  • Integrate not verticalization because it is the right thing to do, leads to efficiency and gives results.
  • As government continues to explore means of resource mobilisation, smart investments in high impact activities and priorities are critical.
  • Call upon all of us, to implement the resolutions reached.

She thanked all stakeholders for the contributions made towards success of the conference.

Zaam Ssali
Zaam Ssali

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