The 19^th edition of the Joint Annual Scientific Health Conference (JASH) jointly held with the Inaugural National Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases Conference (NACNDC) was officially opened by Hon. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, Minister for Health on 5^th November 2025. The Minister called for renewed commitment to prevention, innovation, and partnership if Uganda is to end preventable communicable and non-communicable diseases by 2030.

The Conference themed, ‘Unified Action Against Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases’ held at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala, Uganda from 3^rd to 7^th November 2025 is organised by Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS), Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) and Ministry of Health (MoH). The convening brings together over 500 delegates from government, academia, civil society, development partners, and the private sector. 

Highlighting the areas where commendable progress has been made including: full childhood vaccination from 37% in 2000 to 68% in 2022, reduced child stunting from 45% to 26%, increased life expectancy from 45 years in 1986 to 68 years in 2022, strong HIV control among others. The Minister also noted that Uganda continues to grapple with challenges like sub-optimal uptake of new vaccination anti-gens fueled by misinformation, myths and rumors; geographical disparities in access to quality health services; 29.1% of Ugandans being obese or overweight signaling the risk to develop NCDs like hypertension and diabetes.

‘To address the challenges, we must: strengthen our health systems, ensuring that services are accessible, equitable, and of high quality; enhance our community engagement and empowerment, enabling individuals to make informed health decisions, providing informationm Foster partnerships across sectors and actors to create a supportive environment for elimination of communicable and non-communicable diseases’, the Minister said.

She further said, ‘unified action against communicable and non-communicable as theme of this conference calls for integrated, people-centred approaches to prevention and care’. She emphasized that disease control is not the responsibility of the health sector alone, it requires collaboration with education, local government, water and sanitation, transport, and private sectors.

In her remarks to the congregation, Dr. Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary-MoH commended the organisers for successfully organizing the conference. She noted that the inaugural NACNDC marks a milestone for the health sector in addressing the rising double disease burden of communicable and non-communicable among the Ugandan population.

‘The theme aligns with our new strategic direction that emphasises collaboration amid declining external funding, therefore, let us continue to plan, invest, and be accountable together’, Dr. Atwine said.

She noted the multiple achievements and remaining challenges of the health sector underscoring the priorities of MoH including: upgrading key hospitals, expanding blood banks, recruitment of specialised staff, equipping regional facilities, scaling-up digitization, and strengthening immunization and community health systems.

The Permanent Secretary expressed her gratitude for the work of the organizing committee, partners and participants for making the conference a success. She called for sustained momentum of collaboration and innovation reiterating commitment of the MoH in supporting the platform created from this conference.

She re-echoed the role of academia in the unified action, ‘Academia we depend on you for innovative ways. Your research should answer our burning questions to solve our problems’.

Prof. Bruce Kirenga, Principal-MakCHS appealed to government to consume products from training institutions especially nurses and other allied health professionals noting that currently 40,000 nurses are not employed, many turning to odd jobs. He thanked government for the gains in science and enabling the partnerships leading to such meetings and dialogue on solutions to national challenges.

Prof. Kirenga reminded participants that MakCHS is celebrating 100 years with an upcoming Alumni Dinner to be held on 12^th December 2025, he invited all well-wishers to attend calling for their support as we fundraise to refurbish infrastructure at the college and build new facilities amidst the increased number of learners.

Professor Rhoda Wanyenze, Dean MakSPH expressed commitment of the university and researchers to continue to serve in this space by providing data to inform evidence-based policy making. ‘Rather than describe existing problems we commit to offer innovative solutions to the problems and train and produce a workforce that is aligned to requirements of where they serve’ she added.

Delivering the speech of Professor Sarah Ssali, Deputy Vice Chancellor-Academic Affairs, Makerere University, Professor Robert Wamala, Director-Research & Innovations said ‘Makerere University is honored to co-host the conference with Ministry of Health. This partnership shows that research, policy and practice must move together to solve challenges of our population. Let this conference not be another meeting but a beginning for sustained health dialogue’.

Delivering the conference objectives at the conference, Dr. David Musoke, Associate Professor at MakSPH and Conference Co-Chair, underscored the need for integrated, evidence-driven approaches to Uganda’s evolving health challenges. 

He noted that the joint conference, co-convened by the Ministry of Health, MakSPH, and partners, marks a pivotal step in aligning research, policy, and community practice to strengthen the country’s health systems.

The conference that began on 3^rd November with pre-conference sessions on Mental Health, Paediatric Healthcare, among others continues till 7^th November with participants continuing to dialogue on how to build a resilient health system for Uganda within the changing funding landscape.