Ambassador of the Netherlands to Uganda H.E Dr. Karin Boven alongside the Makerere University leadership at the launch of the Auditorium, phase 1A of the construction on 15th March 2024.
Kampala— Professor David Peters, Dean of the Faculty of Health at York University, Canada, has hailed Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) as a global leader and a cornerstone of Uganda’s public health system. He emphasized the school’s vital role during the launch of its new state-of-the-art auditorium on March 15, 2024, part of its ambitious expansion plans to bolster Public Health capacity, training, research, and service across Africa.
Drawing from extensive experience in global health systems, Professor Peters emphasized the critical role of Makerere University in driving forward public health initiatives in the region.
The ambitious MakSPH new home building construction broke ground on 28th February, 2020. The project that seeks to address the increasing demand for public health education and research, with an estimated cost of $10 million USD.
While making a case for the building, the Netherlands Ambassador to Uganda then, Henk Jan Bakker, announced the Dutch contribution to a tune of $420,000 through the Hague based Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education Nuffic and through the SET-SRHR project at Makerere University. This contribution was channeled to towards the construction of a state-of-the-art Auditorium, which is part of building design. Infrastructure forms the foundation of a healthy community and indeed as noted by Ambassador Henk, “Public Health is not only Uganda’s concern but also a global epidemic thus worth investing in.”
“I want to say how grateful I am to have been able to work with colleagues at Makerere University for now over two decades,” said Professor Peters.
Professor David Peters, YorkU Health photo
Adding that; “The School of Public Health is responsible for educating and training critically needed public health workers for conducting critical science-based research that really addresses the origins of public health problems as well as for the prevention and intervention for diseases and disabilities and because it strengthens the practice of public health through knowledge translation.”
Professor Peters highlights the School of Public Health’s critical role in addressing historical and current public health challenges, including population growth, urbanization, inequity, justice, commercial influence, climate effects, and technological changes.
“And this is huge cost to the population, whether it be a maternal child, chronic diseases or aging, but also on epidemics and the costs, literally the catastrophic costs of health spending,” he said.
For Prof. Peter, while ideas on medicine and disease have really spread across countries and regions for millennia, efforts at public health and global level are really relatively recent from the last few centuries.
In the 19th century, historical concerns revolved around epidemics, famine, and conflict, closely linked to trade and environmental disruptions impacting industry and agriculture. This prompted nations to collaborate in safeguarding trade and preventing disease spread, laying the groundwork for international health regulations and the establishment of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Global public health education emerged from these efforts, rooted in scientific advancements like the germ theory and influenced by colonialism. Global health initiatives aimed to address health issues in other populations, with the Rockefeller Foundation playing a significant role in supporting and establishing schools of public health. The first, Johns Hopkins, founded in 1916, paved the way for numerous others worldwide, totaling around 35 new schools of public health, alongside several medical schools.
In modern global health, scientific advancements applied in resource-limited settings have saved countless lives. However, Professor Peters contends that this focus on biomedicine and technology, while successful in tackling specific health issues, often neglects broader local health system challenges.
Works on the main entrance for the main block for the new building taking shape with slab works on top. This section will act as a reception area and host a lobby.
He further notes that vertical and horizontal approaches, though effective at times, fail to address the comprehensive needs of communities and systems. Additionally, the dominance of Western institutions in global health perpetuates a crisis-driven mentality, prioritizing quick wins over sustainable, community-centered strategies.
This approach, exemplified during crises like the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, sidelines long-term planning and neglects social determinants of health.
Dr. Peters, also the former senior public health specialist with the World Bank argues that while science drives progress, it comes at the expense of sustainability, coherence, and holistic health approaches, favoring curative care over prevention, a perception he believes needs to change.
Looking ahead in global public health education, Professor Peters acknowledges Makerere University‘s leadership in this field and its ongoing commitment. He highlights the university’s efforts to tailor institutional design and curriculum to local needs, particularly evident in the Master of Public Health program at Makerere School of Public Health, including distance learning options.
Emphasizing the need for innovative teaching methods, such as active learning and interdisciplinary approaches, Professor Peters stresses the importance of practical experience and IT integration.
Renowned for his collaborative efforts in advancing health policy and systems research, implementation science, and enhancing institutional capacity in health systems, Professor Peters advocates for professionalism grounded in competencies. He champions collaboration among health and education stakeholders, policymakers, communities, professional organizations, and academia to drive the evolution of global public health education.
“You need to be socially relevant, coherent and accountable. This does mean that physical infrastructure is needed. Our twinning operation between Makerere and Uganda. We need the buildings for teaching, community convening and group work, but also for research wet labs, specimen storage, computing, for use of big data and for the IT infrastructure,” said Prof. Peters.
Learning between collaboration across institutions and linking global to local is really critical. He contends that Makerere School of Public Health is an essential to the public health system and a leader in this as well.
An overhead shot of works on the main entrance for the main block for the new building taking shape with slab works on top. This section will act as a reception area and host a lobby.
Taking inspiration from a program at the College of Health Sciences, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which aimed to enhance all health schools at Johns Hopkins and Makerere University, Professor Peters emphasizes the broader scope of the initiative beyond mere technological advancements.
Dubbed the “grander challenge,” the project focused on institution-building, innovation, and human resource development for sustainable healthcare delivery. Makerere University seeks to be a transformative institution, fostering academic excellence and innovation while driving positive health outcomes in Uganda and the broader East Africa region.
“See the Makerere School of Public Health as transformational and being able to develop and generate knowledge, develop capabilities at individual levels as well as the leadership and organizational levels to model best practices and to support organizations and to develop partnerships to stimulate change,” he says.
He notes that there is a strong investment case for infrastructure at Makerere University. “It provides education training, it conducts research, it strengthens practice. If you see it as an essential part of infrastructure, here’s something that colleagues in North America put together around, this is around the National Academy of Sciences saying that ‘investment in schools of public health should be seen as analogous to government support for public goods like national defense and transportation infrastructure. It is that important.’”
According to Professor Peters, a global review found similar things how what they do in terms of education and research but also towards sustainable development goals and what it does globally. And that you need funding, human resources, agency, collaborations, and infrastructure in being able to do that.
“We need your time, your talent and your treasure to be able to contribute to Makerere School of Public Health. I want to thank you and to finally say that Makerere School of Public Health needs you, but we all need Makerere School of Public Health,” Professor David Peters.
An aerial view of the new MakSPH building taking shape with slab works on top.
In 2021, the USAID ASHA Program awarded $1.1 million to create an augmented reality solution for Makerere University‘s new School of Public Health. Partnering with Johns Hopkins University under the leadership of Prof. David Peters, this funding aims to launch the Makerere University Centre of Excellence for Global Health.
Since 2000, Johns Hopkins has engaged in 48 collaborative research and training projects valued at over $6 million, spanning various fields such as doctoral training, medical education, laboratory training, and health systems development, including projects like the Asha Grant.
Caitlin Kennedy, a Professor of International Health, Social, and Behavioral Interventions at Johns Hopkins, expressed excitement about the university’s involvement in the building collaboration and eagerly anticipates exploring the new space and further nurturing partnerships cultivated over the years.
“I would like to send a sincere thanks to the Asha Grant and USAID for the amazing financial support. I hope others will see projects like this, and be inspired to provide more funding for public health infrastructure,” said Prof. Caitlin.
Caitlin Kennedy extends gratitude to everyone involved in bringing the building to shape, from the visionaries to the diligent planners and builders. She also thanks the faculty, staff, and students who will transform it into a vibrant learning environment.
“We at Johns Hopkins are really looking forward to continuing to do great public health collaborations with you in that space for many years to come. Thank you so much. Everyone and congratulations enjoy the space.”
Caitlin Kennedy, Professor of International Health, Social, and Behavioral Interventions at Johns Hopkins.
Funds raised so far
Currently, we’ve raised a total of $4,804,314, but we still face a deficit of $5,195,686 for the construction. We’re grateful for contributions from various sources: MakSPH Staff Community ($46,043), MakSPH Departments ($144,972), Private Institutions/Companies ($52,528), Other Individuals ($131,949), and a generous donation of $675,000 from Makerere University. Additionally, MakSPH has committed $2,133,822 from internally generated funds, while the Rockefeller Foundation contributed $100,000 towards furnishing the auditorium. Your support is crucial in making a meaningful impact and driving transformation. Join us on this journey by contributing through https://sph.mak.ac.ug/givedonate.
Makerere University School of Public Health, in collaboration with Jhpiego, invites applications for 49 short-term positions under the Scaling the Optimal Use of Multiple ACTs to Prevent Antimalarial Drug Resistance (STOP-AMDR) Project.
The short-term assignments will support data collection in Buikwe and Busia districts, with some national-level activities. Applicants are encouraged to review the requirements for their preferred position before applying.
Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), through the Africa-Europe Cluster of Research Excellence (CoRE) for Preparedness and Response to Pandemics and Shocks, has shared findings from its study of Uganda’s Mpox response with stakeholders in Kasese, Amuru, Nakasongola and Mayuge districts to strengthen district preparedness for future outbreaks.
The Africa-Europe CoRE is a partnership co-led by MakSPH and the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters at UCLouvain, Belgium. It brings together universities in Africa and Europe to strengthen research, training and preparedness for pandemics and other public health shocks.
The district-level dissemination meetings, held from 10 to 14 August 2026, brought together more than 100 local government, health and security officials, Village Health Teams, implementing partners and community representatives. The meetings enabled stakeholders to validate the district-level findings, identify practical actions and provide feedback for the study’s final analysis and national dissemination.
Mr. Philliam Jabim shares the Mpox response study findings with participants during the dissemination meeting in Nakasongola District on 12 August 2026.
Uganda confirmed its first two Mpox cases on 24 July 2024 at Bwera Hospital in Kasese District. The Ministry of Health declared an outbreak on 2 August 2024. As documented in the study, the response involved health workers, communities, local governments, security agencies, political leaders, and implementing partners.
In response to the outbreak, a MakSPH research team led by Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze, Dr. Rawlance Ndejjo, Dr. Steven Kabwama and Mr. Douglas Bulafu conducted a study in May 2025 to assess Uganda’s Mpox response, including its policies, interventions, strategies and challenges, and generate lessons to inform recovery and strengthen preparedness for future public health emergencies.
Using purposive sampling, the research team conducted 20 key informant interviews and five focus group discussions in each of the four districts, drawing perspectives from western Uganda in Kasese, northern Uganda in Amuru, central Uganda in Nakasongola and eastern Uganda in Mayuge.
Participants and the MakSPH research team at the Mpox response study dissemination meeting in Nakasongola District on 12 August 2026.
The study, titled Assessment of the Mpox Response in Uganda: Documenting Challenges, Lessons and Innovations to Strengthen Emergency Preparedness and Response Capacities, was funded by the Government of Uganda through the Makerere UniversityResearch and Innovation Fund (Mak-RIF).
“This study is helping us move beyond recounting the Mpox response to identifying the actions that districts and national partners can take before the next outbreak. By validating the findings with stakeholders who led and experienced the response, we are ensuring that the evidence reflects local realities and can inform stronger surveillance, risk communication, coordination and community engagement,” said Mr. Bulafu, who led the MakSPH team during the dissemination meeting in Amuru.
Mr. Douglas Bulafu engages participants during the Mpox response study dissemination meeting in Amuru District on 10 August 2026.
In Amuru, the 10 August meeting brought together over 25 stakeholders from the district health team, political leadership, security agencies, Village Health Teams, implementing partners and the community. On the same day, a second MakSPH team, led by Mr. Keneth Sebukeera and Mr. Filimin Niyongabo, convened stakeholders in Kasese for a parallel validation meeting. The consultations then continued in Nakasongola on 12 August and concluded in Mayuge on 14 August, extending the study’s engagement across all four districts.
Across the districts, stakeholders said the results reflected their experience during the outbreak. They pointed to strengths in leadership, coordination, community engagement and partner support, while also describing gaps in documentation, logistics, diagnostic access, staffing, risk communication, public trust and continuity of essential health services.
They also noted inconsistent implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) 7-1-7 target, which calls for detecting a suspected outbreak within seven days, notifying public health authorities within one day and completing early response actions within seven days.
The MakSPH research team, led by Mr. Keneth Sebukeera and Mr. Filimin Niyongabo, with participants during the Mpox response study dissemination meeting in Kasese District on 10 August 2026.
In Kasese, stakeholders highlighted gaps in documentation, financial and logistical resources, and human resources. They identified Village Health Teams and grassroots, religious and cultural leaders as important resources for community surveillance and risk communication. They called for stronger collaboration between technical and non-technical leaders, engagement with traditional healers, greater use of local radio for public sensitisation, and better facilitation of district epidemic response teams to reach distant communities.
Amuru participants called for proactive preparedness in the border district, citing misinformation and rumours as barriers to risk communication. They urged timely, accurate information from health workers and other authorities; training in disease surveillance and grant writing to strengthen capacity and resource mobilisation; and compassionate care, psychosocial support and community awareness to reduce stigma and support survivor reintegration.
During the meeting in Nakasongola, stakeholders identified Community Health Workers and Community Health Extension Workers as potential resources for strengthening community surveillance and addressing workforce shortages. Given the district’s position around Lake Kyoga and along the Kampala-South Sudan transit corridor, they also called for stronger documentation, note-taking and reporting, accurate real-time information, closer communication with the Ministry of Health, and collaboration among technical, political, religious and community leaders.
Ms. Eunice Vivian Asingo, Senior Nursing Officer at Nakasongola Health Centre IV, contributes to the discussion during the Mpox response study dissemination meeting in Nakasongola District on 12 August 2026.
Ms. Eunice Vivian Asingo, Senior Nursing Officer at Nakasongola Health Centre IV, called for a permanent, adequately resourced outbreak-management centre to help protect routine services during future epidemics. “We appeal for better facilities to manage epidemics and outbreaks. At Nakasongola Health Centre IV, spaces previously used for outbreak management have been repurposed for other services, and we have limited staff. During the Mpox response, colleagues assigned to manage patients later returned to the general team, creating fear among staff already under pressure,” she said.
In Mayuge, Dr. Basembeza highlighted leadership, coordination and surveillance structures operating from district to community level as important factors in the response. He said the structures enabled the district to receive and respond quickly to community alerts. “Whenever there is a rumour or an alert, we are able to respond. Within 20 minutes, we had a response because of the structure we have,” Dr. Basembeza said.
Based on the findings, the research team recommends increased preparedness financing, stronger community engagement, decentralised diagnostic services through stronger district laboratory capacity, and improved health information and research systems.
Across the four districts, stakeholders reaffirmed that trusted community structures and coordinated action across sectors are essential to strengthening outbreak preparedness.
Every academic year, a new group of students enters Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) with different professional backgrounds, questions and ambitions. For the School, each cohort adds to a growing community of professionals and researchers shaping public health practice, policy and research in Uganda and beyond.
On Friday, 7 August 2026, MakSPH held its orientation for newly admitted students for the 2026/2027 academic year at the MakSPH Auditorium. The orientation introduced students to the School’s academic programmes, leadership, departments, academic administration, student support services and expectations for university life.
For this academic year, ending July 2027, Makerere University admitted more than 370 students to academic programmes hosted at MakSPH. The intake comprised 75 students in the Bachelor of Environmental Health Science, the School’s only bachelor’s programme, 277 across the nine master’s programmes, and 21 across the two doctoral programmes, PhD by Research and PhD by Coursework and Research.
Dean Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze (centre) with MakSPH staff, student leaders and new students during orientation for the 2026/2027 academic year.
The master’s intake includes 103 students in the Master of Public Health by Distance Education, the highest enrolment for the year, followed by 59 in the Master of Public Health Full-Time. The remaining students joined programmes in Biostatistics, Environmental and Occupational Health, Health Informatics, Health Services Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, Nutrition, and Public Health Disaster Management. Together, the programmes reflect the breadth of knowledge and skills needed to address public health challenges and bring together students pursuing further training from diverse professional backgrounds.
Welcoming the new cohort, MakSPH Dean Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze urged students to approach their studies with purpose, discipline, and resilience, and focus on what they would be able to do with the knowledge and skills they acquire.
“Please find time to enjoy your journey. I know you’re looking ahead to exams and so many other pressures, but let this journey also be one that you enjoy in terms of what you learn and how you grow, so that you leave here better, not because of the paper that you took but because of the capability that you pick up during your time with us.”
MakSPH Dean Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze addresses new students at orientation for the 2026/2027 academic year, 7 August 2026, MakSPH Auditorium, urging them to value capability over paper.
The Dean’s message speaks to the different reasons students are beginning their journeys at MakSPH. For some, the opportunity is to build on professional experience and strengthen their capacity in roles they already hold. Among them is Dr. Judith Nalukwago, a dental surgeon, former 85th Vice Guild President of Makerere University, and Makindye Division III Lord Councillor, who serves as Executive Secretary for Education, Gender and Public Health at City Hall and the Office of the Lord Mayor.
“I am back here to study a Master’s in Public Health. I am very excited. I have a clinical background and have been practising as a clinician, and it has been a joyful experience. But when I joined the journey of leadership, there were challenges because, as Executive Secretary for Public Health in Kampala, we deal with everyday people’s health challenges,” said Dr. Nalukwago, adding:
“Now I am in management and leadership, and that posed a challenge to me as an individual. I asked myself, what course can I do to add to my skills? Where can I gain skills that can help me overcome this challenge while I am dealing with people? And I remembered that we have the School of Public Health at Makerere University.”
Watch: Dr. Judith Nalukwago on why she returned to MakSPH for a Master’s in Public Health:
Her experience during the Ebola response, when she served on the task force, further highlighted the need for broader public health knowledge. She said the training would strengthen her ability to contribute to policy and public health management, particularly in her role at City Hall, where councillors develop policies, bylaws, and ordinances.
For Mr. John Othieno, the motivation is similarly grounded in applying his training to practical problems. A Software Engineering graduate who previously completed a Master’s in Health Informatics at MakSPH, he has returned to pursue a PhD under the Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management. His research focuses on using technology and health informatics to address health-system challenges, including the adoption of picture archiving and communication systems for managing healthcare imaging and data. He said he wants his research to produce solutions that can be applied beyond academia.
“I purposed that, in my academic journey, I would not do research for the sake of having it gather dust on the shelves, but that it would actually be actionable research that can be translated into action, into solutions for our population,” he said.
Watch: Mr. John Othieno on why he returned to MakSPH to pursue a PhD in Public Health:
Nalukwago and Othieno reflect the diverse professional backgrounds that come together at MakSPH, where training, research, and community engagement have been central to the School’s work for over seven decades. Their journeys point to a sustained impact on public health education, seen not only in enrolment and graduate numbers but in the skills and expertise those graduates carry into policy, research, and health systems across Uganda and the region. At the close of the 2024/2025 academic year, MakSPH enrolled 1,140 students across 12 degree programmes, more than 90 percent of them in postgraduate training.
At Makerere University’s 76th Graduation Ceremony on 25 February 2026, MakSPH presented 231 graduates, comprising seven doctoral, 195 master’s and 29 bachelor’s graduates, adding to the health workforce within the region. Among the graduates was Dr. Harriet Aber, who completed her PhD on child substance use in Uganda’s health system and shared her experience with the new cohort during the orientation. She spoke candidly about the demands of postgraduate study and the need to remain positive through its challenges.
Dr. Harriet Aber, a MakSPH PhD graduate, shares her postgraduate journey with new students at orientation, 7 August 2026, MakSPH Auditorium, urging them to maintain a positive attitude through the challenges ahead.
“It’s not a rosy journey. You’re going to have so many moments where you celebrate, where you’re happy about something, but there are also several moments when maybe you’re stuck with the paper, you have to respond to comments, the proposal is not moving, the concept is not clear. Throughout all those processes, one of the things that you just have to maintain is having a positive attitude,” Aber affirmed.
Her experience offered the new cohort a glimpse of the journey ahead, while Prof. Wanyenze’s message focused on how they could make the most of it. The Dean urged students to plan ahead, pursue research opportunities, think independently, and use artificial intelligence responsibly, while seeking mentorship and making full use of the support and opportunities available at the School.
“Our students are our colleagues, and they are our future workmates. Many of them have ended up staying with us. And I know many of you are going to stay with us in the School,” the Dean said, urging students to take seriously the relationships they build with their classmates and faculty, because “we are a network that’s bound together in the same profession.”
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