Health
The Africa One Health Network for Disease Prevention (ADAPT), Project Launch
A consortium of Seven Sub-Saharan countries is implementing a 5-year intervention aimed at building the capacity of improved, sustainable, and locally–led management of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
AMR is a public health problem that poses the largest threat to human health, causes death, and threatens economies especially those of developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
In Uganda, the project is implemented by Makerere University in the College of Health Sciences (CHS) and the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB). Prof. Dr. Damalie Nakanjako, the Principal CHS, and CoVAB’s Assoc. Prof. Julius Okuni are the Principal investigators.
The other sub-Saharan African states in the consortium include Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, and Sudan, while the other participants like Leipzig University are drawn from Germany.
At the project kickoff event held at Protea Hotel in Entebbe on Monday 12th May 2024 attended by all implementing partners, it was explained that the five-year project will investigate and sustainably develop the local capacity to identify and intervene with a diverse range of biomedical and sociocultural factors impacting human, animal, and environmental health in sub-Saharan African settings to better control AMR and NTDs.
Through a One Health Approach, the project will work with several stakeholders including Behavior scientists, Data scientists, veterinarians, Human health workers, and policymakers in developing the capacity of anti-microbial stewardship in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The project’s main tasks will include screening of AMR in humans, livestock, and poultry using surveillance and genetic mapping; investigating the relationship between helminthic infection and drug resistance bacteria to better understand the co-infection between pathogens; developing capacities for point of need diagnostics on AMR and NTDs using mobile tests for field use; identifying any changes in antimicrobial use and AMR incidences; controlling communicable disease transmission and building capacity for sustainable leadership.
The kickoff meeting was addressed by stakeholders from different sectors who made proposals aimed at ensuring a successful project implementation. Hon. Dr. Charles Ayume, the Chair of the parliamentary health committee, while addressing the forum urged the implementers to consider involving the political wings of the respective countries and to ensure that the politicians get to appreciate the concerns on Anti-Microbial Resistance and the Neglected Tropical Diseases. He said that in the case of Uganda, the process of the formation of the Parliamentary Forum on AMR was in the initial stages and observed that several politicians were not well informed about the challenges of AMR. He said bringing the politicians on board would help the project implementers and stakeholders lobby for financial allocations towards AMR or else refer to it as unfunded priorities because they do not appreciate its magnitude. Dr. Ayume regretted noting that although innovations were game changers, Research and development were underfunded and mostly anchored in the hands of the donors. He said regarding the success of the project, research was important because of the need to domesticate AMR, by taking it down lower to the communities.
Dr. Ayume said he was cognizant of the fact that there was a lot to do citing the example of the poor state of abattoirs regarding lack of adherence to public health regulations, poor sanitation as well and non-adherence to public health regulations. Legislation is important because several laws like the Public Health Act although amended do not cover AMR, he observed. He cited the recently enacted Animal Feeds Bill, as one example through which the Government can be held accountable. He expressed commitment to further spread the AMR message through the Parliamentary Committees of Health from Africa, where he is a member. For most of the issues that affect the region, he said there was a need to get together, and that this can be a way of domestication of AMR.
The Deputy Principal, CoVAB, Prof James Acai – Okwee who spoke on behalf of the Principal Prof. Frank Nobert Mwiine acknowledged and welcomed the partners from other countries and the German Federal Ministry of Education for the project support. He said Makerere University aspires to translate into a research-led institution including research in AMR. He explained that there was a significant animal factor in AMR, where infection in animals will always be shared in the human population because of the extensive microbial use in animal production. Anti-microbial use is becoming the normal practice in production and therefore 75% of the infections originate from the animals that’s why we appreciate the one health approach in addressing AMR, the environment, food production, and public health he said, while appreciating the need for a multi-sectoral approach in addressing the challenge at hand. He expressed the colleges’ commitment and readiness to work with the project team led by Assoc. Prof. Julius Okuni.
Other presenters at the meeting included a representative of the Director General of Health Services, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Water and Environment, among others.
Later on Wednesday 15th May 2024, the project team visited the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources, and Biosecurity where they interacted with the leadership and staff and took a guided tour of some of the laboratories.
Health
Makerere Researchers Find Psychological Therapy Effective in Improving Diabetes Care in Uganda
By Nelson Bahati
Researchers from Makerere University‘s School of Psychology have found that psychotherapy intervention can improve the well-being of adults living with Type II diabetes mellitus, opening the door for integrating psychosocial support into diabetes care in Uganda.
The findings were disseminated on 16 June 2026 during a research dissemination workshop held at the Physiology Lecture Theatre at the College of Health Sciences, Mulago Hospital.
Led by Professor Peter Baguma, the study titled “The Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Diabetes Distress, Depression, Health Anxiety, Quality of Life and Treatment Adherence among Adult Patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus” investigated whether Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), a psychological treatment that has proven effective in Western countries, could also work in the Ugandan context.
Presenting the findings, Professor Baguma said the study was motivated by the growing burden of diabetes and the psychological challenges that often accompany the disease but are rarely addressed in routine healthcare.
“Diabetes affects many people in Uganda and across the world. It kills, and those who live with it face many challenges. While psychological interventions have been developed and applied in the Western world, we did not know whether these approaches could work in Uganda. That is why we decided to undertake this study,” he said.
He explained that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy focuses on changing negative thoughts and behaviours that affect people’s wellbeing and ability to manage chronic illnesses.
The researchers sought to determine whether CBT could reduce psychological distress among diabetes patients and improve treatment outcomes.
The controlled study involved 200 adult participants with Type II diabetes mellitus. One hundred participants received the CBT intervention while another 100 formed the control group. Participants in the intervention arm attended eight counselling sessions over four months, with each session lasting between one and one-and-a-half hours.
The therapy covered several modules, including psychoeducation on diabetes, cognitive restructuring, medication adherence, problem-solving, coping strategies, physical exercise, relaxation techniques and strategies for maintaining treatment.
According to Professor Baguma, the findings showed that psychotherapy significantly improved participants’ wellbeing.
“The group that received the intervention experienced reduced stress levels and lower blood sugar levels compared to those who did not receive the therapy. We conclude that CBT is effective and should be adopted as part of diabetes care,” he said.
The study also yielded another important discovery.
“We have discovered that CBT as practised in the Western world is somewhat narrow. Their manual contains only eight elements. In Africa, we found that three additional components are necessary: effective communication between patients and health workers, goal setting, and instilling hope among patients. We call this African CBT,” Professor Baguma explained.
He added that the findings had also revealed the need to incorporate psychosocial care into the management of chronic illnesses and to train healthcare workers to address the psychological dimensions of disease.
Professor Andrew Marcel Otim, one of the co-investigators and founder of the Uganda Diabetes Association, said the study had brought to the fore an aspect of diabetes care that has long been neglected.
“There have been many efforts to address the physiological effects of diabetes, but we have largely ignored the psychological part of the disease. Yet the psychological aspect is huge,” he said.
He added that, diabetes management should go beyond medication but rather intergrate other components of care.
“Education, nutrition, exercise and self-monitoring are extremely important. Even simply knowing what to do is a very powerful intervention. Psychological distress and depression can increase blood sugar levels, so we need to help patients remain calm and hopeful,” he said.
Drawing from his experience as a clinician and educator, Professor Otim encouraged people living with diabetes to embrace physical activity.
“I tell my students and my patients to put on some music, dance, sweat and enjoy themselves. Nutrition, education and exercise remain central to managing diabetes.”
Dr. Wilber Karugahe, a counselling psychologist at Makerere University‘s School of Psychology and one of the co-investigators, said the findings demonstrate the need to integrate psychological care into the management of chronic diseases.
“A lot of studies focus on physical illness and not the psychological conditions that accompany these illnesses. This study confirms that diabetes has a significant psychological aspect and that patients need psychological interventions as part of their care,” he said.
Explaining the essence of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dr. Karugahe noted that the approach helps people restructure their thoughts and behaviours.
“Imagine putting a sticker on your fridge that reminds you that some foods are not good for you and that healthier options are better. That is CBT. It helps people change the way they think and behave, and it can be used to address many behavioural challenges.”
The dissemination workshop was also attended by officials from the Ministry of Health, including Mrs. Christine Ninsiima Ahimbisibwe, Senior Programme Officer for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Control, and Mrs. Patience Butesi from the Department of Mental Health and Drug and Substance Abuse.
Mrs. Ahimbisibwe welcomed the findings and emphasised the need to integrate the study’s recommendations into Uganda’s clinical guidelines to enable healthcare workers to provide psychosocial support to patients living with chronic illnesses such as diabetes.
The human impact of the intervention was perhaps best illustrated by testimonies from participants who underwent the psychosocial training.
Tebugulwa Josephine, a retired teacher and employee at Mulago National Referral Hospital, said the intervention restored hope in her life.
“When we first joined the programme, we thought we were moving dead people. But now we have hope. I have hope of reaching 90 years. We were taught how to exercise and take care of ourselves. Even our families no longer treat us as sick people because we can now walk and participate in daily activities.”
Another participant, Bunje Joice, described the intervention as life-changing.
“People had already given up on me and were waiting for me to die. I could hardly walk, but now I can walk long distances and my diabetes levels have improved. Physical exercise has become my first medicine.”
Kyomuhendo Kate said the programme helped her manage stress and improve her health.
“I was so stressed and my legs were swelling, but after attending the treatment sessions, I am now much better.”
Sebuliba Bernard said the training transformed how he manages his condition.
“They taught us how to exercise, how to live and how to eat. If we follow what we were taught, we can change our lives.”
Based on the findings, the researchers recommended scaling up the intervention to district, regional and national referral hospitals, integrating psychosocial interventions into the training of health workers, and undertaking policy reforms to strengthen mental health support for people living with chronic illnesses.
The study was funded by the Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF) and brought together researchers from psychology and medicine, including co-investigators: Dr. Fredrick Nakwagala, Dr. Wilber Karugahe and Dr. Anne Ampaire.
-
Law1 week agoMakerere hosts Chief Justices of Zambia and Uganda
-
General4 days agoMakerere University Set to Develop Curriculum to Transform Graduate Supervision and Mentorship
-
Health2 weeks agoMakerere Medical Students Honour Their ‘Silent Teachers’
-
Business & Management1 week agoMakerere Vice Chancellor tasks CoBAMS to Change Africa’s research trajectory through graduate training
-
General4 days agoRevised Advertisement for Positions of Principal and Deputy Principal at Makerere University