Rt. Hon. Lukia Isanga Nakadama, the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister and woman MP Mayuge District endorses the National Health Adaptation Plan (H-NAP) shortly after launching it as Mr. William Asiko (Left) and Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze (Right) witness on 22nd August 2024.
On August 22, 2024, Uganda made history as the first African nation to launch a National Health Adaptation Plan (H-NAP), fulfilling the country’s global commitments at the UN Conference of Parties (COP) 26 and 28 summits in Glasgow (2021), and Dubai (2023), respectively, in response to the growing global climate change risks and challenges.
The National Health Adaptation Plan 2025-2030, dubbed H-NAP, which was launched by the health ministry yesterday in Kampala, seeks to fortify the country’s healthcare system against the current mounting health challenges driven by climate fluctuations, to safeguard public well-being amid the rising temperatures, erratic weather patterns, and associated health risks.
Officiating the H-NAP launch, Uganda’s Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, represented by the third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio, Rt. Hon. Lukia Isanga Nakadama, commended the fruitful collaborative initiative of the government, development, and civil society partners in delivering the Health National Adaptation Plan.
“The government of Uganda has created an enabling policy and legal environment to tackle the climate change challenges,” she noted emphatically, revealing that: “In the Parish Development Model (PDM), we need to integrate climate change interventions. I was recently talking to my people (constituents in Mayuge district) about the PDM programme, I told them; ‘we gave you money and we know you are doing well. They said no, all our crops were washed away by the heavy rains, we did not get anything.’ So, it’s not all that easy.”
Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio, Rt. Hon. Lukia Isanga Nakadama delivers her remarks at the launch of the H-NAP 2025-2030.
She said the current five-year term National Development Plan (NDP) III which is bound to expire and the new NDP IV underscore climate change as a cross-cutting issue requiring mainstreaming across all sectors, assuring that the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) will coordinate multisectoral engagements for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and support awareness raising for the new Health National Adaptation Plan.
“I congratulate the Ministry of Health and all sectoral partners for developing the Health National Adaptation Plan that we are launching today. This Plan is based on evidence from the Climate Change Health Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment and should provide a systematic guide to building a resilient health system for Uganda,” the Prime Minister observed, urging the different multi-stakeholders to support the implementation of the Plan to harness its full potential in guiding the country’s climate change adaptation action.
Climate change adaptation, commonly used, means the steps taken to help both natural and human environmental systems adjust to the impacts of climate change, whether those changes are happening now or expected in the future. Such interventions may include actions, policies, and strategies designed to specifically reduce the negative effects of climate change while making the most of any potential benefits that may arise.
On the other hand, climate change refers to the long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, mostly caused by human activities like burning fossil fuels, which release greenhouse gases (also known as GHGs) into the atmosphere. These changes lead to more extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and ecosystem disruptions, impacting everything, from agriculture to human health.
One of the key successes arising out of the two weeks deliberation between 120 world leaders and over 40,000 registered participants, including 22,274 party delegates, 14,124 observers, and 3,886 media representatives at COP26 summit in Glasgow, from Sun, Oct 31, 2021 – Fri, Nov 12, 2021, was the compromise to step up support for climate change adaptation, reflected in the Glasgow Pact calling for the doubling of finance to support developing countries like Uganda in adapting to the adverse weather impacts and build resilient health systems.
A key highlight during the Glasgow negotiations, was the realisation by the global actors of the critical linkage between climate change and health, as the discussions culminated in the consensus that the worsening climate crisis directly threatens global health through increased extreme weather events, the spread of diseases, and the increased strain on healthcare systems, thus necessitating urgent integrated action to protect public health.
Subsequently, nation states committed to developing national climate change health vulnerability and adaptation assessments and the health national adaptation plans, both documents that Uganda has now concluded, to emerge as a regional and global leader in the charge towards adaptation to combat climate change effects and build resilience.
The November 2023 Climate Change Health Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment (VAA) for Sound Management of Climate Change-related Health Risks in Uganda and the Health – National Adaptation Plan (H-NAP) 2025- 2030, were conducted through a collaboration led by Uganda’s Ministry of Health, with partners including Rockefeller Foundation, Makerere University, World Health Organization, Ministry of Water and Environment, Amref Health Africa, Reproductive Health Uganda, Pathfinder Uganda, Tree Adoption Uganda, Seed Global Health Uganda, Clinton Health Access Initiative and Regenerate Africa.
Makerere University School of Public Health’s Dr. John Bosco Isunju, who led the teams in the development of both the VAA and H-NAP, was honoured by the Ministry of Health with the 2024 Climate and Health Champions Award during the Health National Adaptation Plan Launch, for his significant contributions to building a climate-resilient health system in Uganda.
MakSPH’s Dr. John Bosco Isunju receives the 2024 Climate and Health Champions Award at the launch of the H-NAP. Looking on is Rt. Hon. Lukia Nakadama, the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister and Dr. Diana Atwine, the PS. Ministry of Health.
The Rockefeller Foundation’s investment played a pivotal role in funding the development of these two strategic documents. Mr. William Asiko, Vice President and head of The Rockefeller Foundation’s Africa Regional Office, emphasised, “Climate change is now the gravest threat to the health and well-being of billions of African people. Initiatives like Uganda’s Health National Adaptation Plan demonstrate how African countries are rising to the challenge by scaling the necessary climate solutions and setting an example for the world.”
William Asiko, The Rockefeller Foundation Vice President for Africa speaking at the launch of the H-NAP by the MoH.
Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, in his remarks delivered by the University Secretary, Mr. Yusuf Kiranda commended the role played by the partners in the development of the Plan, noting that: “Our academics from the Makerere University School of Public Health played a vital role in leading the Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment (VAA), which has been instrumental in shaping the development of the H-NAP.”
“This is just one example of Makerere University’s strategic commitment to research, innovation, and capacity-building. We are dedicated to generating evidence and human resources capabilities that guide decision-making and contribute to the development and implementation of climate-resilient strategies in health, agriculture, and other sectors,” the Makerere University Vice Chancellor observed.
He stated that the success of the National Adaptation Plan depends on the strength of our collaborations, which requires concerted efforts of government ministries, health agencies, civil society organisations, the private sector, development partners, and the academic community, as he reiterated University’s commitment to being a key partner in the endeavour.
Yusuf Kiranda, the University Secretary who represented the Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe delivers his remarks.
Today, Uganda, like the rest of the region and the globe, continues to grapple with the adverse effects of climate change. Subsequently, the Health National Adaptation Plan’s overarching goal is to enhance the resilience of Uganda’s health sector against climate-related impacts by incorporating climate adaptation into health strategies and planning, ensuring sustainable and continuous healthcare services during climatic challenges;
“Uganda is already experiencing severe climate change effects, such as floods, droughts, and temperature changes, which contribute to health issues like waterborne diseases, vector-borne diseases, malnutrition, and mental health problems.” The H-NAP report reads in part.
Its precursor, the 2023 Climate Change Health Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment (VAA) survey, conducted across 716 selected health facilities in Uganda, highlighted the significant risks and challenges that climate change poses to public health.
The Vulnerability Assessment revealed that many healthcare facilities in Uganda are highly vulnerable to climate change-related hazards, due to unpreparedness across several critical components. In terms of energy, healthcare facilities were found to lack secure locations to protect emergency energy sources from hazards, had inadequate coverage for critical service areas, and failed to consistently check alternative energy sources.
The health workforce was also underprepared, with gaps in participation in climate adaptation plans, insufficient readiness for outdoor work during extreme conditions, and limited capacity to identify and manage health conditions, worsened by climate impacts.
Significant weaknesses were apparent in water, sanitation and hygiene, and healthcare waste management, including inadequate strategies to monitor and reduce water contamination, limited preparedness to prevent vector breeding in facility water systems, and a lack of comprehensive water safety and contingency plans. Post-hazard recovery plans were insufficient, with no safe locations for critical equipment during emergencies, inadequate safety measures for vital supplies, and inconsistent evacuation mechanisms for health workers and patients.
“These findings highlight a need for implementation of climate change adaptation plans and policies, building capacity of the health workers, and strengthening WASH management systems and water safety plans. There’s also a need for improvement of the reliability of energy infrastructure, development of contingency plans and enhancement of infrastructure resilience, evacuation plans, and post-disaster recovery,” the VAA report reads in part.
Today, Uganda has established a robust policy and legal framework to address climate change, including the National Climate Change Policy of 2015, the Climate Change Act of 2021, and the updated Nationally Determined Contribution of 2022. These frameworks aim to transform Uganda into a climate-resilient, low-carbon society by 2050.
The Uganda National Health Adaptation Plan (H-NAP) aligns with these policies, emphasising the integration of climate change adaptation into health sector plans and policies.
“A key recommendation to tackle climate change issues in Uganda is the integration of climate services for health. These services involve the provision of climate data, tools, and information tailored to the health sector’s needs, enabling health professionals to better anticipate, prepare for, and respond to climate-related health risks. Climate services for health include forecasting climate variables, monitoring and predicting the spread of climate-sensitive diseases and issuing early warnings for heatwaves and air pollution episodes,” The H-NAP reads in part.
According to the Plan, by integrating these services into health planning and operations, Uganda can enhance its public health resilience against the impacts of climate change. Furthermore, the H-NAP proposes a range of short-term and long-term interventions across ten components that include climate-transformative leadership, climate-smart health workforce, integrated risk monitoring, and sustainable financing.
From the H-NAP, specific actions identified include developing guidelines for mainstreaming climate and health, training health workers, enhancing disease surveillance systems, and revising infrastructure standards for climate-proofing. Also, the plan presents a financing framework to mobilise resources for implementing the identified interventions. This includes developing a comprehensive resource mobilisation plan, increasing national budgets for health and climate change policies, and advocating for health issues in climate funding streams.
Uganda is all too familiar with the harsh realities of climate change, having continuously experienced rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and increasingly severe rainy seasons—each intensifying public health challenges. This National Health Adaptation Plan marks a critical step in the country’s climate action efforts, standing as the first of its kind. It serves as a crucial component of Uganda’s broader strategy to mitigate climate impacts and safeguard public health in the face of growing environmental threats.
A joint study between Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) and The Open University, UK, is investigating a possible link between maize cultivation and malaria risk in Uganda, as evidence increasingly points to livelihoods and everyday economic activities as key drivers of transmission of the disease.
The research initiative was advanced during a stakeholders’ workshop held on April 15, 2026, at MakSPH’s Resilient Africa Network in Kololo, where a team led by Assoc. Prof. David Musoke of Makerere University and Dr. Kevin Deane of The Open University presented ongoing and previous findings on the social determinants of malaria. The meeting brought together academics, policymakers, and practitioners to examine how agricultural practices, particularly maize farming, may be shaping malaria patterns in both rural and urban settings in Uganda.
The work builds on a growing body of research linking malaria to economic activity. One such study, led by the two researchers and published in Global Public Health in December 2025, found that livelihood activities such as farming, livestock keeping, and night-time work significantly influence malaria exposure. The study identified agriculture, especially maize cultivation near homes, as a key factor associated with increased mosquito density and heightened infection risk.
Assoc. Prof. David Musoke presents research findings on how livelihoods, including maize cultivation near homes, may influence malaria exposure during a stakeholder workshop at the Resilient Africa Network, Kololo, on April 15, 2026.
At the workshop, Dr. Musoke said the new inquiry reflects a broader shift in how malaria is understood, outlining how livelihoods, particularly agriculture, shape exposure through multiple pathways, from crop production and water use to the timing of daily activities that coincide with peak mosquito biting hours. These patterns, he argued, extend risk beyond what conventional interventions, such as insecticide-treated nets and indoor spraying, are designed to address.
Uganda remains one of the countries most affected by malaria, with the disease accounting for a significant share of outpatient visits, hospital admissions, and deaths. It is consistently ranked among the leading causes of illness and mortality, particularly among children under five and pregnant women. Despite sustained investment in prevention and treatment, including widespread distribution of insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying, transmission remains high in many parts of the country. This persistence has increasingly drawn attention to factors beyond conventional interventions, including the role of livelihoods, environment, and everyday exposure to mosquitoes.
Maize grown close to homes, with damp ground conditions, may increase exposure to malaria in rural communities.
“As researchers, our role is to generate evidence, and that evidence should inform decision-making,” Dr. Musoke said. “We do not work in isolation. What we hear from stakeholders matters. We are bringing together different sectors, disciplines, and institutions because this work is still in progress, and we intend to build it collaboratively. Increasingly, research requires not just academics, but policymakers, implementers, and communities to be part of the process.”
The collaboration with The Open University has been central. Dr. Deane said the idea of examining the relationship between maize and malaria emerged from several years of joint research on social determinants with MakSPH. He pointed to a gap in malaria research, which has largely focused on biomedical and indoor interventions, while overlooking the role of livelihoods and outdoor exposure.
Assoc. Prof. David Musoke (left), Dr. Paul Mulumba (centre), a Health Inspector in Wakiso District, and Dr. Kevin Deane (right) share insights during the workshop at the Resilient Africa Network, Kololo, on April 15, 2026.
“We cannot continue relying solely on bed nets, spraying, and treatment,” Dr. Deane said. “These remain essential, but they are not sufficient for elimination. There is significant outdoor malaria transmission, particularly among adults, and that is linked to how people live and work.”
He added that maize presents a complex case. As one of Uganda’s most widely grown staple crops, it is central to both food security and household income, making it impractical to separate farming from living spaces. This, he said, underscores the need to better understand the relationship and develop responses grounded in evidence and local realities.
Evidence presented during the workshop drew on both community experiences and existing scientific literature. Prior qualitative research by the team found that mosquito populations increase during maize growing seasons, particularly in the evenings. Scientific studies also show that maize pollen can enhance mosquito survival and longevity, potentially increasing their capacity to transmit malaria.
Dr. Kevin Deane of The Open University emphasised the need to move beyond conventional malaria interventions to better understand how livelihoods and everyday activities shape exposure during the stakeholder workshop in Kololo, Kampala, on April 15, 2026.
Previous work in Wakiso district further situates maize within a wider set of risk factors. Findings show that agriculture, including crop production and animal husbandry, can create conditions that support mosquito breeding through stagnant water, water storage practices, and environmental changes. These risks are compounded by outdoor activities in the early morning and evening, when exposure is highest. The research also points to the growing role of urban agriculture, which is bringing crop cultivation and potential mosquito habitats closer to residential spaces, altering traditional patterns of transmission.
Ms. Doreen Nabwire Wamboka, in-charge at Namayumba Epicentre Health Centre III in Wakiso District, said the discussions challenged long-held assumptions that malaria is a “well-understood” condition.
“I used to think malaria had been fully researched, that we already knew what we needed to know,” she noted. “I now see that what has been studied is the conventional side of it. There are emerging factors we have not paid attention to. This work is opening up new ways of thinking, even about things we take for granted, like the crops we grow around our homes. We treat malaria as ordinary, yet it is still one of the most common conditions. Understanding these connections could change how we approach the disease.”
Ms. Doreen Nabwire Wamboka, In-charge at Namayumba Epicentre Health Centre III in Wakiso District, engages in a co-creation session as a fellow participant looks on during the stakeholder workshop in Kololo on April 15, 2026, underscoring the need for collaborative approaches to design interventions to tackle malaria.
The initiative will now combine spatial analysis, entomological studies, and community-based research to better understand how maize cultivation influences malaria risk. It will also involve farmers and other stakeholders in shaping potential interventions, reflecting a broader shift toward co-produced solutions.
The workshop, funded by The Open University, marked an important step in refining this research agenda. As the work progresses, its findings could inform policy and practice not only in Uganda, but also in other malaria-endemic countries where maize is widely cultivated. For now, the research signals a shift from isolated interventions to a more integrated understanding of how livelihoods and environments drive malaria transmission.
Update: Application deadline extended to 30th April 2026
Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) is pleased to announce the Certificate Course in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (CWASH) – 2026.
This intensive and practical short course is designed to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of professionals involved in the planning, implementation, and management of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services. The programme responds to the growing demand for competent WASH practitioners in local government, non-governmental organisations, and the private sector.
Course Highlights
Duration: 8 weeks (01 June – 24 July 2026)
Mode: Day programme (classroom-based learning and field attachment)
Fees:
UGX 900,000 (Ugandans / East African Community)
USD 500 (International participants)
Application deadline:Thursday, 30 April 2026
Who Should Apply?
Practising officers in the WASH sector
Environmental Health workers seeking Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
Applicants with at least UACE (or equivalent) and one year of WASH-related work experience
Attached to this announcement, interested persons will find:
The course flier, providing comprehensive programme details, and
The application form, which should be completed and returned to MakSPH together with the required supporting documents.
For full course details, application procedures, and contact information, please carefully review the attached documents. Eligible and interested applicants are strongly encouraged to apply before the deadline and take advantage of this opportunity to build practical competence in WASH service delivery.
Makerere’s School of Public Health (MakSPH) is expanding faster than it can house itself. It now hosts more than 1,000 students, runs programmes across multiple countries, and anchors a large share of the University’s research output. Yet parts of its operation still spill into rented space, costing over $113,000 a year, because the infrastructure has not kept pace with its growth.
That constraint sits uneasily with the School’s economic weight. Health research accounts for more than half of Makerere University’s academic output, making it one of the University’s most productive engines. As Vice Chancellor Barnabas Nawangwe put it, “An educated population is a healthy population, and an educated and healthy population is a prosperous population.”
Beyond the university, health is not just a social outcome but a driver of economic performance. Healthier populations are more productive, more resilient, and less costly to sustain. Investments in public health, whether in prevention, systems, or infrastructure, raise an economy’s productive capacity, not just improve outcomes.
A construction worker undertakes metal fabrication works at the Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) building site.
Institutions that generate public health knowledge and train professionals are not peripheral to growth; they are part of its foundation.
It is this logic that is shaping how Makerere’s School of Public Health is positioning itself. At its centre is a new, unfinished complex on the University’s main campus, intended to anchor the School’s next phase as a regional hub for research, training, and policy support. But like much of the system it supports, it is being built gradually, in a “build-as-you-go” approach constrained as much by funding realities as by design.
Construction of Phase II of the MakSPH complex is now at an advanced stage, with progress recorded across all sections of the site. As of March 2026, Phase 2B is nearing completion at 98%, while Phase 2A stands at 89%, and Phase 2C at 69%, each tracking close to or slightly ahead of planned targets. Current works are concentrated on interior finishes—including tiling, terrazzo installation, and external rendering—as well as preparations for lift installation, signaling a transition from structural works to final detailing. The project team is working toward a practical completion date of August 31, 2026, with timelines calibrated to align with broader resource flows and implementation considerations.
Six years ago, in February 2020, construction began on what will be the new home of the School of Public Health. The building, a permanent, purpose-built public health facility on Makerere’s main campus, will accommodate a growing student body, provide space for doctoral and postdoctoral fellows, and strengthen the University’s ability to respond to Africa’s most pressing public health challenges.
Professor David Serwadda, Professor Emeritus at Makerere University and Chair of the MakSPH Infrastructure Fundraising Committee, said the construction journey reflects the School’s “ambition, intent, and courage”—a bold step despite limited resources. He was speaking at a public lecture on health financing held at Makerere University on April 9, 2026.
But the ambition behind the project is not modest. “We are not building for today—we are building for the future,” said Professor David Serwadda, reflecting on a decision that shaped the entire construction effort. “We need to build for the next 100 years.”
Professor David Serwadda, Professor Emeritus at Makerere University and Chair of the MakSPH Infrastructure Fundraising Committee, speaks at a public lecture on health financing for Uganda’s future, held on April 9, 2026.
That long view helps explain both the scale of the project and the risks taken to start it. When construction began, the School did not have the full funding. “We started with about a third of the required budget,” Serwadda said.
The approach was not without setbacks. A major grant from USAID, worth over a million dollars, was later withdrawn, midway through the construction, due to the closure of USAID. “We received what is called a ‘Dear John letter,’” he recalled. “At that moment, we felt the situation was a major blow, almost terminal for the project.”
But the project did not stop. It adjusted. “We said, let us continue, piecemeal,’” he said. “Finish the auditorium first, use it, and keep building the rest.”
“We have come a long way as the School of Public Health,” said Professor Rhoda Wanyenze, the Dean. “We are proud of that history, but we also recognize that it comes with responsibility.”
Professor Rhoda Wanyenze, Dean of the Makerere University School of Public Health, speaks at a public lecture on health financing for Uganda’s future, held on April 9, 2026.
She argued that responsibility is no longer confined to Uganda. With ongoing collaborative work in more than 25 African countries currently, the Dean says this is “a responsibility to provide leadership in public health not only in Uganda but across the continent.”
The scale of that growth has been visible from what was once a small training unit in the Faculty of Medicine in the 1950s, which has expanded into 12 academic programmes and more than 1,000 students.
“When I came back for my public health training, we were about 40 students,” she said. “Now, we have more than 1,000.” “Public health is growing and evolving,” Wanyenze said. “And we are doing our best to develop the skills needed for this changing landscape.”
That includes new areas such as health informatics and data science, driven by the digitisation of health systems and the growing role of data in decision-making and AI. The School is already coordinating regional platforms on digital health, linking multiple countries in shared learning and practice.
But this growth has outpaced the physical systems needed to sustain it. For the University leadership, the implications extend beyond infrastructure.
“One of the most effective ways to invest in health in Uganda is to invest properly in Makerere University,” said Vice Chancellor Barnabas Nawangwe. “We must recognize Makerere as a research-led university with a special national role—not fund it like any other institution or department. Makerere is one of the government’s greatest assets. Invest in her, and the returns will exceed expectations.”
Professor Nawangwe hailed Dr. Ramathan Ggoobi, the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, who delivered a keynote on investing in health for Uganda’s future in view of Vision 2040. “I wish to thank Dr. Ramathan Ggoobi and his team for their personal intervention in allocating resources in next year’s budget to complete the new School of Public Health building. That support is deeply appreciated,” he said.
Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe speaks at a public lecture on health financing for Uganda’s future on April 9, 2026.
Uganda’s progress in health outcomes is evident, but uneven. Life expectancy has risen significantly from about 50 years in 2000 to roughly 68.8 years in 2024, according to the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, Ramathan Ggoobi. Yet the gains sit alongside persistent financial strain on households. About 4% of Ugandans still spend more than a quarter of their consumption on healthcare, pushing many into poverty as a result of illness.
For Ggoobi, this points to a structural gap that recurrent government spending alone cannot close. “We must mobilise long-term domestic capital without adding fiscal risk,” he argued, pointing to the need for more sustainable financing mechanisms. Central to this is the gradual design and rollout of a national health insurance scheme. Evidence from countries such as Rwanda, Kenya, and Ghana suggests that well-structured contributory models can expand coverage while reducing catastrophic out-of-pocket spending.
“My Ministry and the School of Public Health must be partners. … Evidence framed in fiscal terms drives policy,” said Ggoobi, stressing the need for locally grounded solutions. “What works in Ghana might not work here. We need a model that fits Uganda.”
Uganda’s current macroeconomic conditions, relatively low inflation, currency stability, and expanding private credit may provide a window to move in that direction.
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