Mr. Kaconco James successfully defended his PhD thesis at a public defense session held at the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT).
His thesis was titled; Master Production Scheduling, Total Quality Management and Blood Production Towards Blood Transfusion Sustainability in Uganda.
ABSTRACT
This study investigated the relationship between master production scheduling, total quality management, blood production, and transfusion sustainability in Ugandan blood banks. It aimed to address the challenges of blood safety and shortages in healthcare, leading to canceled or postponed transfusions and patient fatalities.
The study used was correlational and cross-sectional in nature with a pragmatic paradigm and a mixed-method strategy. It surveyed seven regional and seven university teaching hospital blood banks, using random and purposive sampling. Data came from self-administered questionnaires and interviews with key informants. Data analysis used SPSS20 and AMOS23 to determine relationships among variables. Qualitative data was analyzed using Nvivo software. Pilot tests ensured questionnaire and interview guide validity and reliability.
Findings showed a significant model for the relationship between master production scheduling and blood transfusion sustainability. Demand and supply significantly related to transfusion sustainability, while perishability had a positive but not significant relationship. Surprisingly, total quality management did not mediate the master production scheduling-blood transfusion sustainability link; instead, blood production fully mediated it. When considering both total quality management and blood production as serial mediators, both played a partial mediating role. Qualitative findings aligned with these results, highlighting various strategies used by Ugandan blood banks to enhance sustainability.
This study has managerial implications, emphasizing the importance of factors such as blood demand, staff involvement, continuous improvement, customer-centric approaches, and efficient bloodstock management in enhancing transfusion sustainability. Recommendations for policymakers include establishing a fund to support blood banks for knowledge dissemination and capacity development. They should also enhance annual evaluation, recognition, and awards for blood donors, individuals, and partners dedicated to transfusion sustainability. Establishing a dedicated unit under UBTS for compliance monitoring is recommended. Blood bank managers should invest in staff training, seek expert consultation on transfusion sustainability, and recognize and reward employees and teams demonstrating a strong commitment to transfusion sustainability.
On 5th September 2025, at the Sheraton Hotel, Makerere University’s School of Engineering joined the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co., Ltd. (CPP) to witness the launch of the scholarship, during which the beneficiaries, mainly second-year engineering students, received scholarships to cover tuition and functional fees for three years.
Speaking at the event, EACOP’s Corporate Affairs and HR Director, Ms. Irene Baguma, representing the MD, noted that this is a joint programme with EACOP and CPP (Uganda). She said the mission of EACOP & CPP goes beyond the pipeline to uplifting communities, demonstrating their commitment to corporate social responsibility. They urged scholars to stay focused because they are ambassadors of hope and will, one day, bring hope and give back to the community.
Assoc. Prof. Kizito Maria Kasule, the Deputy Principal of CEDAT, spoke on behalf of the College, extending appreciation to the parties for the scholarships awarded to the students. He said this will enable the students to concentrate on their studies and have fewer worries about raising the tuition.
On August 21, 2025, a delegation from the Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment (OSHE) improvement project visited Roofings Rolling Mills’ facility in Namanve Industrial Park. The visit represented the project’s fourth major engagement with industry stakeholders, continuing its goal to foster a world-class safety culture within Uganda’s engineering and industrial sectors.
This OSHE initiative is a collaboration among Makerere University, Busitema University, and Kyambogo University, with support from the Royal Academy of Engineering in the United Kingdom. It aims to establish Centres of Excellence at each university, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and practical industry application of Occupational Safety, Health and Environment(OSHE) standards.
The Makerere University team, led by Dr. Abubaker Matovu Waswa, Head of the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at the College of Engineering, Design, Art, and Technology (CEDAT) and Principal Investigator of the project, received a warm welcome from a senior delegation of Roofings Rolling Mills. The reception involved key engineers from the Health and Safety Department, along with Human Resources and Production Managers, highlighting the company’s strong commitment to collaborative innovation and industrial partnership.
A high-level delegation from the Department of Construction Economics and Management, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), led by Head of Department Dr. Nathan Kibwami, has engaged the Uganda Securities Exchange (USE) in strategic discussions aimed at unlocking new financing avenues for Ugandan businesses through asset securitization.
Accompanied by staff members Ronald Kaweesi and Tulikuno Collins, the delegation met with USE officials to explore collaborative opportunities focused on transforming both tangible and intangible assets into viable financial instruments for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Among the key proposals was the development of a postgraduate programme in securitization of tangible assets, designed to build local expertise in asset-backed financing and capital markets. The team also discussed guest lecturing opportunities on the Bachelor of Science in Valuation programme, aiming to enrich academic instruction with practical insights from Uganda’s financial sector.
The dialogue emphasized the importance of building synergies between academia and capital markets to guide Ugandan businesses, particularly SME, in leveraging their asset portfolios to access financing. This initiative is expected to enhance financial inclusion and stimulate economic growth by empowering enterprises to tap into alternative funding mechanisms.
Dr. Kibwami noted that the partnership could “reshape how Ugandan businesses perceive and utilize their assets, not just as operational tools, but as strategic financial resources.”
The Uganda Securities Exchange welcomed the initiative, highlighting its alignment with ongoing efforts to deepen Uganda’s capital markets and support enterprise development. This collaboration marks a significant step toward bridging the gap between academic research, professional training, and real-world financial innovation.