Veterinary & Biosecurity
Makerere University Hosts Stakeholders Workshop on One Health approach to understanding Climate Change and Zoonoses
By Joseph Odoi
On January 30-31, 2025, Makerere University in partnership with Glasgow, UK and University of Stockholm, Sweden with support from Europe’s CIVIS University Alliance, organized a multi-disciplinary workshop at Kabira Country Club, Kampala, Uganda entitled “One Health and Diagnosing Zoonoses – Understanding the Importance of Climate Change in Disease Prevalence.” The event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including academicians, researchers, and practitioners, to collaborate on addressing public health challenges at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health.
The workshop was organized and officially opened by Associate Professor Lawrence Mugisha from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources, and Biosecurity (CoVAB), Makerere University alongside Professor Jonathan Cooper from the University of Glasgow, who led the CIVIS Alliance team to Uganda.
In his opening address, Prof. Mugisha welcomed participants and outlined the key objectives of the workshop. He noted that the primary aim of the workshop was to build new pathways for knowledge exchange and strengthen One Health capabilities within Uganda and East Africa in order to develop a better understanding of the role of climate change in disease dynamics (including zoonoses) in humans and animal health and their wellbeing.
Furthermore, the workshop sought to explore the regional links between zoonotic disease prevalence and climate change by using appropriate digital tools/systems that will, in future, have the potential to be used more widely in Sub-Saharan Africa.
On the impact of Climate Change in Disease Prevalence, Professor Mugisha noted that the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) have all warned around the need to better understand the harmful effects of climate change on health and disease, especially in low-and-middle-income-countries with such effects readily seen with Sub-Saharan Africa suffering some of the worst impacts.
‘’Uganda is also considered as a ‘hot spot’ for emerging and re-emerging infectious disease epidemics. The country has experienced several epidemics including; Ebola, Marburg, Plague, Rift Valley Fever, Yellow fever and Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever. ‘’Many of these public health challenges arise from the interaction between humans-animals-environment and require a One Health approach as a collaborative effort of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally, and globally, to attain optimal health for people, animals, plants and the environment.’’ added Professor Mugisha.
In his remarks, Professor Jonathan Cooper from the University of Glasgow acknowledged participants and provided a brief background on the CIVIC University Alliance. He stated that under CIVIS, multiple universities collaborate to offer joint learning pathways, research opportunities, and diverse degree programs, creating a dynamic network where students and academics can move freely between institutions. Through this collaboration, they work together to address societal challenges, including One Health and climate change, while also developing real-world solutions. He also commended the collaborative efforts of Makerere University, particularly those of Professor Lawrence Mugisha, in working across multiple disciplines at local, national, and global levels to achieve optimal health for people, animals, plants, and the environment.
Prof. Mugisha delivered a keynote address on climate change and human health and highlighted how climate change is causing unprecedented threats to human health, driving emergence of new infectious diseases and exacerbating the existing ones in addition to fueling frequent occurrence of severe natural catastrophes like floods, hurricanes and wildfires. He reported as per World Economic Forum Report of 2024, that climate change is projected by 2050 to cause additional 14.5 million deaths and $12.5 trillion in economic losses worldwide. He called upon all stakeholders to act together through research, innovations and public directed interventions to reverse the potential impact of climate change. He provided examples of different research consortiums working together to contribute to finding solutions to address the impacts of climate on health of humans, animals and entire ecosystem. Highlighted Projects include DIDIDA-Improving disease diagnosis in Africa (Home – Didida), PREPARE4VBDS— A Cross-Disciplinary Alliance to Identify, PREdict and prePARE for Emerging Vector-Borne Diseases (prepare4vbd.eu) and recently funded DIDIDI- development of advanced, low-cost and deployable digital dashboards and diagnostics to understand how changes in climate are affecting the dynamics of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) and schistosomiasis in underserved rural community settings in sub-Saharan Africa
Dr. Frederick Monje, a focal person for the One Health Platform from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), provided a brief background of the National One Health Platform of Uganda. He stated that the platform was established in 2016 to serve as a multi-sectoral coordination mechanism aimed at addressing public health threats arising from the interactions between humans, animals, and the environment.
Dr. Monje emphasized that the National One Health Platform in Uganda plays a critical role in surveillance, early detection, and rapid response to outbreaks through collaborations with district health teams, universities, and research institutions. He noted, “One Health is one of the ways to prevent the next pandemic. We need to do a lot of preparedness to prevent cross-cutting public health threats from coming to us. We have developed a number of training and partnerships with universities and many stakeholders to achieve the One Health objective.”
In his presentation, Mr. Monje also cited the World Bank’s report, highlighting that globally, zoonotic diseases sicken 2.4 billion people annually, kill 2.2 million, and affect more than 1 in 7 livestock. The direct economic costs of zoonotic diseases are estimated at 20 billion dollars per year. He pointed out that Uganda, due to its proximity to the Congo Basin and other hotspots, faces significant public health threats from zoonotic diseases.
Mr. Monje further emphasized that the platform’s impact is evident in its district-level One Health teams, which have strengthened Uganda’s pandemic preparedness and response to zoonotic diseases such as Ebola, Rift Valley Fever, and anthrax. He reiterated that One Health is critical to preventing future pandemics, requiring continuous preparedness, collaboration, and policy development to safeguard public health.
In her presentation, Ms. Patricia Nyinguro- Principal Meteorologist at the Kenya Meteorological Department revealed that there is rising temperatures in Kenya, showing an increasing trend since 1961, particularly in semi-arid regions. Despite this, she noted that public perception of heatwaves is low yet rising temperatures are key drivers of heat-related mortality, morbidity, and infectious diseases.
Moving forward, Ms. Patricia emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in developing heat health action plans and called for the development of indicators to measure progress in climate change adaptation.
In a digital technologies session, Dr. Xin Guo from the University of Glasgow shared insights on mobile health platforms for diagnostics, including demonstrations of relevant applications. He showed how apps can help diagnose diseases, especially zoonotic ones, and improve healthcare, especially in areas that need better disease tracking and response.
Participants engaged in discussions on zoonoses, its impact, and the importance of the One Health approach. Key questions explored included: What are zoonoses? Why is One Health crucial? Who are the stakeholders involved, and how can zoonoses be effectively addressed?
Using the Double Diamond Methodology, participants in group discussions also identified the most pressing challenges that climate change poses or will pose on zoonoses, potential solutions, and the reasons why these solutions aren’t being implemented yet.
Key outcomes from the engagement included the drafting of a policy brief outline, which will guide future initiatives aimed at tackling public health threats.
The workshop also tackled important issues such as data interoperability, data ownership and management, and ethics and privacy. These topics were thoroughly explored during structured discussions, with a particular focus during the Early Career Researcher (ECR) session.
Dr. Paul Mbanka, Assistant Commissioner of Health Services, outlined the Ministry of Health’s commitment to addressing Zoonoses related cases citing presence of an incident management system, which includes an SMS-based mechanism for reporting diseases to the emergency response center. Upon detection of an alert, the information is verified, samples are collected, and if confirmed, a response is initiated. In terms of areas for improvement, Dr. Mbanka acknowledged the challenge of information sharing across various sectors. When asked about Data sharing by workshop participants, He also stated that the Ministry of Health is open to sharing data with researchers, provided it supports the Ministry’s goals
The two-day workshop concluded with an emphasis on the critical need for continued collaboration in the One Health sector. Participants, including Researchers, Academicians, PhD and Master’s students from Makerere University, and Uganda and Kenya registered students at Glasgow University made presentations and also engaged in strategic discussions on tackling zoonotic diseases, climate change, and the integration of digital innovations in health data management.
To conclude the workshop, Prof. Lawrence Mugisha, Professors Julien Reboud and Jon Cooper of the Makerere University and University of Glasgow respectively expressed their appreciation to all participants for the insightful presentations, discussions and emphasized the importance of ongoing partnerships across human, animal, and environmental health sectors.
Veterinary & Biosecurity
Makerere University Hosts Southwest Minzu University Delegation to Explore Academic Collaboration in Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine
Makerere University on the 23rd July 2026 welcomed a delegation from Southwest Minzu University, China, led by the Vice President, Professor Yang Sheng-Tao, for a high-level meeting focused on academic collaboration and joint capacity development in animal husbandry and veterinary medicine. The meeting, presided over by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Professor Sarah Ssali, brought together senior administrators from the College of Veterinary medicine, Animal resources And Bio-security (CoVAB), researchers, and partners from the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) to explore practical pathways for cooperation between the two institutions.
The visit forms part of a growing interest among international partners in the depth of expertise Makerere University has built over decades in agricultural sciences, veterinary medicine and related fields. For Southwest Minzu University, a public university with a strong reputation in ethnic and regional studies as well as agricultural and veterinary sciences, the visit represented an opportunity to identify shared research priorities and areas where the two institutions could pool resources, knowledge and talent.
The engagement is the latest in a series of international visits Makerere University has hosted in recent years, as the institution continues to position itself as a preferred partner for universities and research organizations seeking collaboration in agriculture, biosciences and allied fields. CoVAB has over the years built a reputation for research and training that draws interest from partners across Africa, Asia and beyond, and it is against this backdrop that the visit by the Southwest Minzu University delegation was received with considerable enthusiasm.
A Coordinated Effort Rooted in Local Expertise
The visit was coordinated by Mr. Kirunda Halid, a Makerere University alumnus currently working with the National Agricultural Research Organization and Uganda Christian University. Mr. Kirunda’s role in facilitating the engagement between Southwest Minzu University and Makerere reflects the value that the university continues to draw from its alumni network, particularly those who have gone on to build careers in research institutions with strong ties to national development priorities.
Presenting his report on the outcomes of the visit and the associated meetings, Mr Kirunda noted that the discussions had brought forth clear opportunities to expand collaboration in biotechnology, with particular emphasis on bio-fertilizers and research chemistry. He explained that these areas represent a natural convergence between the technical strengths of Southwest Minzu University and the applied research capacity that NARO and Makerere have developed over the years, particularly through facilities such as the Kawanda laboratories.
According to Mr. Kirunda, the conversations held during the visit went beyond general goodwill and touched on the practical steps required to move any partnership from an idea into a hands-on programme. He observed that both sides recognised the potential of biotechnology applications in animal husbandry and veterinary medicine, especially where biofertilizer research could support sustainable agricultural practices, and where research chemistry could underpin diagnostics and product development work relevant to both institutions.
Mr. Kirunda’s dual position as a Makerere alumnus and a NARO researcher placed him in a unique position to bridge the interests of the visiting delegation with the realities of research infrastructure on the ground in Uganda. He noted that National Agricultural Research Organization facilities, particularly those at Kawanda, already carry out substantial work in areas that overlap closely with the interests expressed by Southwest Minzu University, and that this overlap is what makes the proposed collaboration especially promising. Rather than starting from scratch, he explained, the two sides would be building on existing capacity and simply need to align it more closely with shared objectives.
Makerere Open to Partnerships That Transfer Knowledge and Technology
In her remarks to the visiting delegation, Professor Sarah Ssali reaffirmed Makerere University‘s openness to collaborations of this nature. She emphasised that the university remains committed to building connections between universities and industries as a means of enabling knowledge and technology transfer, with the ultimate purpose of advancing joint research that benefits both institutions and the wider communities they serve.
“Partnerships such as the one being explored with Southwest Minzu University are consistent with Makerere University‘s broader institutional priorities, which place a strong emphasis on research that has real world application and on collaborations that strengthen the university’s ability to contribute to national and regional development”, Professor Ssali emphasized. She noted that animal husbandry and veterinary medicine are areas where Uganda continues to face practical challenges that require sustained research investment, and that international partnerships bring valuable perspectives, resources and technical expertise to tackle these challenges.
She also took the opportunity to thank Mr Kirunda for channelling the proposed collaboration from Southwest Minzu University to Makerere, describing his role as an example of the continuing value that Makerere alumni bring to the university long after they have left its lecture halls. Her remarks underscored the university’s recognition that partnerships of this kind often begin through individual relationships and networks built over years, before growing into formal institutional arrangements.
Introducing Southwest Minzu University
The head of the visiting delegation, Vice President of Southwest Minzu University, Professor Yang Sheng-Tao, used his remarks to introduce his university to the Makerere audience, sharing a number of quick facts about the institution’s history, academic focus and areas of strength. He explained that his presence at Makerere was driven by a genuine interest in enhancing collaboration between the two universities, and that he saw considerable potential for shared work in the fields of animal husbandry and veterinary medicine given the complementary strengths of both institutions.
Professor Yang’s remarks gave the Makerere hosts a clearer picture of Southwest Minzu University’s academic profile and helped frame the discussion around where the two institutions might find the greatest value in working together. His emphasis on enhancing collaboration echoed the broader tone of the visit, which combined introductions and relationship building with a practical focus on identifying specific technical areas for joint work.
Proposed Next Steps and Already Established Actions
Drawing from the discussions and Professor Yang Sheng-Tao and Mr Kirunda’s remarks, several concrete actions and next steps were proposed or are already underway to give the collaboration a firm foundation.
The first of the already established actions is a July 23rd 2026 visit to the China-Uganda Agricultural Cooperation Industrial Park in Luwero to provide technical guidance and training on Phased livestock production and standardized management practices. This assessment is intended to establish the current state of infrastructure, equipment and capacity at the relevant sites, so that any future partnership is built on an accurate understanding of what exists and what may still be needed.
The second proposed step is the development of a detailed collaboration workplan between the universities and the national laboratories involved. This work plan is expected to cover the specific technical areas identified during the visit, namely biotechnology, biofertilizers and chemistry, alongside clear articulation of funding sources, institutional responsibilities and timelines for implementation. Meeting participants agreed that a work plan of this nature would give both institutions a shared reference point for tracking progress and holding each other accountable to agreed milestones.
The coordinated visit, led by NARO and supported by Makerere University leadership alongside the Southwest Minzu University delegation, opened up promising avenues for collaboration in animal husbandry and veterinary medicine, particularly around biotechnology applications such as biofertilizers. The Kawanda laboratory was singled out as a key site for technical partnership going forward.
Looking Ahead
The meeting between Makerere University and the visiting Southwest Minzu University delegation reflects a wider pattern in which international academic partnerships are increasingly anchored in specific, actionable areas of shared interest rather than broad cooperation. The emphasis placed on site assessments, a detailed workplan, funding clarity and further engagement between technical and administrative parties suggests that both institutions intend to treat this visit as the beginning of a structured process rather than a one-off exchange of pleasantries.
For Makerere University, the engagement adds to a growing portfolio of international collaborations in agricultural and veterinary sciences, and reinforces the role that the university’s alumni, such as Mr Kirunda Halid, continue to play in connecting Makerere to new opportunities across the globe. For Southwest Minzu University, the visit represents an early but important step toward what Professor Yang Sheng-Tao and his delegation hope will become a lasting partnership grounded in shared research, capacity building and mutual benefit.
As both institutions now turn to the practical work of assessing laboratories, drafting workplans and identifying funding sources, the coming months are expected to determine how quickly this early goodwill translates into concrete joint programmes in biotechnology, biofertilizers, research chemistry, and the broader fields of animal husbandry and veterinary medicine that first brought the two universities together.
Makerere University‘s leadership expressed confidence that the foundation laid during this visit, built through the combined efforts of Professor Ssali’s office, the visiting delegation under Professor Yang Sheng-Tao, and the coordination provided by Mr Kirunda Halid and NARO, would translate into a partnership of lasting value. Both institutions indicated their willingness to maintain open communication as the proposed site assessments and workplan development proceed, with further meetings among technical and administrative leaders expected to follow in the short term.
Veterinary & Biosecurity
Makerere University Equips Livestock Finalist students for a Changing Job Market
At a time when youth unemployment continues to challenge economies across Africa, Makerere University is taking deliberate steps to prepare graduates for success beyond the classroom. The College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) recently hosted a Careers Day for finalists in the Bachelor of Industrial Livestock and Business (BILB) and Bachelor of Animal Production Technology and Management (BAPT) programs.
Held under the theme “Bridging Academic Training and Industry Practice: Preparing Livestock Graduates for Professional Excellence and Sector Transformation,” the event brought together academic leaders, government officials, industry practitioners, and human resource experts to share insights on navigating the transition from university to the world of work.
Inspiring Messages of Integrity and Resilience
Dr. Dorothy Kalule Nampanzira, Head of the Department of Livestock and Industrial Resources, urged students to embrace integrity, resilience, and self-discovery as they step into professional life. “You are now adults, and wherever you go, you carry the name of Makerere University,” she reminded them.
Connecting Students to Opportunities
Dr. Sylvia Baluka introduced the Agricultural Sector Apprenticeship Programme, which provides paid placements to fresh graduates, offering hands-on experience and confidence-building opportunities. She emphasized the need for awareness and proactive applications to maximize access.
Rethinking Education and Work
Professor Anthony Mugisha challenged students to reflect on the difference between schooling and true education, urging them to become problem-solvers and entrepreneurs rather than job seekers.
Government and Industry Perspectives
Speakers from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development highlighted Uganda’s untapped opportunities in agriculture and livestock, encouraging graduates to approach challenges as openings for innovation. Practical sessions on CV writing and interview preparation reinforced the importance of readiness and professionalism.
Student Reflections
Final-year students described the Careers Day as transformative, noting that it bridged the gap between academic learning and real-world expectations while boosting confidence in their career paths.
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