The 19^th Joint Annual Scientific Health Conference (JASH) and Inaugural National Annual Communicable and Non-Communicable Conference (NACNDC) held at Speke Resort Munyonyo ended on Friday 7^th November, 2025 with the 23^rd Matthew Lukwiya Memorial Lecture and a Kampala Declaration Statement.

The joint conference that began on 3^rd November, 2025 themed, ‘Unified Action Against Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases’ was organised by Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS), Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) and Ministry of Health (MoH). The meeting brought together representatives from Central Government, Ministry of Health, academia, civil society, local governments, private sector, development partners, professional associations, local governments and communities.

Kampala Declaration Statement

Dr. David Musoke, Assoc. Professor at MakSPH who was Co-Chair of the Organising Committee delivered the Kampala Declaration which defined the priorities/commitments of the delegates from the dialogue at the conference.

The declaration highlighted the background of setting the priorities as thus: 1. Uganda’s dual disease burden from communicable diseases (CDs) alongside the growing rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). 2. The biological, social and clinical intersections between CDs and NCDs, which compete for limited resources. 3. Threats posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR), climate-sensitive diseases, zoonotic spillovers, and emergency outbreaks such as Ebola, COVID-19, and Marburg. 4. Uganda’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the Africa CDC’s New Public Health Order, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the International Health Regulations (IHR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA). 5. The integration of health services at facility level continues to face challenges due to high patient-to-health worker ratios and inadequate infrastructure, which impede the delivery of comprehensive, timely, and quality healthcare services;

Emphasizing the need to involve all stakeholders—including from education, agriculture, environment, engineering, urban planning, gender, as well as community and religious leaders, and others—in the fight against communicable and non-communicable diseases; 6. The persistent challenges in access to healthcare across the country due to delays in diagnosis and treatment-seeking, and emphasizing the urgent need to strengthen early detection, ensure timely access to quality healthcare, and enhance community awareness about prompt medical attention; 7. Protection and promotion of human rights are fundamental to ensuring health, dignity, and well-being for all citizens, as these rights form the  foundation of equitable access to quality healthcare services; 8. The global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), now causing an estimated 700,000 deaths annually, and recognizing its strong link to self-medication, poor diagnostic capacity, and weak public health interventions; 9. Health policies and investments have focused more on curative than preventive care, underscoring the need to reinstate a strong prevention-oriented approach; 10. Many Ugandans remain inadequately informed about health issues affecting them and their role in promoting health within their communities; 11. Rapid industrialization, urbanization, and lifestyle changes are significantly contributing to the rising burden of NCDs;

The Kampala Declaration was presented as a shared call to action, a platform for sustained collaboration, and a blueprint for strengthening integrated and equitable health systems. The declaration is premised on the following priorities:

• Multisectoral Collaboration and One Health Approach: Affirmation of the requirement for involvement of the whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach to accelerate disease prevention, health promotion, and self-care through evidence-based awareness.
• Integrated, People-Centered Disease Prevention and Care: The urgent need to focus on people, not diseases, using a life-course approach and strengthening integrated service delivery across CDs and NCDs at all levels.
• Strengthened Data, Research, and Policy Translation: Recognition of the importance of timely, interoperable, and disaggregated data to inform policy, financing, and implementation decisions. In addition, commit to collaboration between academic institutions, policymakers, CSOs, and community influencers to bridge the gap between research and practice.
• Financing: Commit to advocate for increased domestic financing to progressively reduce dependence on external aid, ensuring predictable and sustainable resources for integrated disease prevention and care. Promote efficiency and accountability in health spending by strengthening budget tracking, performance-based financing, and public financial management systems. Support innovative financing mechanisms, including public-private partnerships, social health insurance, and community-based financing schemes to expand coverage and affordability.

Specific calls were directed to the various stakeholders respective to their mandates and roles.

Government of Uganda and the Ministry of Health: To accelerate implementation of integrated strategic plans for CDs, NCDs, and epidemic preparedness under a unified health systems approach; Institutionalize NACNDC–JASH as the official Annual Integrated National Health platform for disease dialogue and innovation, co-led by the Ministry of Health and academia; Mobilize domestic and international financing to strengthen primary healthcare, laboratory networks, and community systems; Enforce laws and policies aimed at preventing and controlling substance abuse nationwide.

Academia: Generate policy-relevant evidence and drive innovation in diagnostics, surveillance, and culturally appropriate care; Establish multidisciplinary working groups to connect research, clinical practice, and policy; Train health professionals in integrated, competency-based, and future-ready approaches; Create innovation hubs and partnerships linking academia, communities, and industry to co-develop scalable, people-centred solutions; Leverage technology and innovation to effectively address CDs and NCDs; and Prioritize locally led research focused on Uganda’s health realities, including NCDs, CDs, mental health, and climate-linked risks.

Development Partners and Donors: Align technical and financial support with Uganda’s integrated disease control priorities; Support the development of a national research agenda driven by local health needs; Strengthen health system resilience, digital transformation, and community-led interventions; and promote regional knowledge sharing, South-South collaboration, and local manufacturing of diagnostics and medicines.

 Private Sector and Civil Society: Engage in public-private partnerships to expand access to diagnostics, care, and innovation; Champion community-responsive models for disease prevention; rehabilitation, and continuity of care; Strengthen advocacy, accountability, and public education through multimedia and grassroots platforms; Raise public awareness on mental health, sickle cell disease, asthma, and diabetes, integrating these services into primary care and reducing stigma and discrimination.

In view of the background, priorities and expected action from the stakeholders as highlighted above, the declaration also endorsed the development and dissemination of: a National Integrated Disease Control Strategy, informed by best practices and policy dialogues from this conference; a Multisectoral Action Framework guiding collaboration among health, education, agriculture, environment, and finance sectors; A Monitoring Mechanism to track implementation and institutionalize annual

reporting on disease integration; and the continuation of joint annual NACNDC and JASH conferences to sustain momentum.

Setting the Pace

Through the conference, keynote speakers delivered addresses which set pace for the dialogue by participants at the conference.

Dr. Queen Dube, Lead – Newborn Programme Implementation, Policies and Standards at the World Health Organisation (WHO), Geneva and Co-Chair of Every Woman, Every Newborn (EWENE) Country Implementation Group highlighted the reasons for rising disease burden of NCDs across sub-Saharan Africa including industrialization and urbanization; shifting dietary patterns; improved means of transport and communication which converts to less movement.

Dr. Dube noted that, the poorer one is, the higher the risk of one dying due to an illness either through communicable or non-communicable diseases. She stressed the importance for a unified action against diseases as opposed to fragmentations or silos by different working groups of various diseases. Duplication of efforts spreads thin the available resources, yet more efficiency and effectiveness could be enjoyed, she added.

Her call for action was, ‘health is interconnected, our response must be to; collaboration saves lives; and together, we can build a healthier, more resilent world’.

Delivering his keynote speech on the final day of the conference, Prof. Francis Omaswa, Founder and Director – African Centre for Global Health and Social Transformation (ACHEST) reminded the delegates that, ‘it is up-to us to achieve our goals provided we commit to do what is expected of us in the best possible way’.

He questioned why Africa continues to lag behind in the global health indices considering the professionals present on the continent. ‘Inclusiveness, equity and working together is the way forward’, he advised.

Prof. Omaswa reminded the delegates that Uganda in particular achieved in areas like HIV/AIDS control, therefore the means we used then must be employed in fighting communicable and non-communicable diseases. He heighted that, some of the means included leadership at all levels, working together, for monitoring and reporting, engagement of youth through the means they respond to among others.

‘Let no one go to sleep, each one of us is a leader at our levels of responsibility and we must make sure that there is coordination and supportive supervision within the health system’, Prof. Omaswa reiterated.

In his keynote speech, Dr. David Serwadda, a Professor in the Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health at MakSPH reminded researchers and academia the importance of their work to disease prevention and control. He stressed that the link between research and implementation is critical for a unified action, and there bridging the gap must be intentional.

23^rd Dr. Matthew Lukwiya Memorial Lecture

Dr. Matthew Lukwiya is remembered for his leadership and selflessness as a Ugandan physician at the forefront during the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Uganda in 2000 until de succumbed to the disease. He was the supervisor at St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor, outside Gulu City, Uganda; Gulu district was an epicentre of the disease at the time.

As has been the case at the previous JASH conferences, the 23^rd edition of the Matthew Lukwiya Memorial Lecture was held on the final day of the conference, themed, “Identified Critical Gaps in the Response to Outbreaks”.

The session convened leading scientists, policymakers, community and health professionals to reflect on lessons learnt from past epidemics and chart strategies for stronger preparedness, response and resilience across the health system.

The Way forward

At the end of the meeting, delegates were advised that information from the meeting will be shared through a link on the MakSPH website and abstracts will be published as well.

Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze, Dean-MakSPH who also represented Prof. Bruce Kirenga, Principal-MakCHS thanked all participants for attending the dual conference and willingness to share information in support of integrating to improve Uganda’ Health System. She also thanked the organising committee and partners for the support leading to a successful conference.

‘What is it that touched you at this conference, what are the takeaways and I implore you to reflect on the discussions and create a change. This is not business as usual and let us make change.’, the Dean said.

Prof. Wanyenze handed the baton to the School of Medicine who will work with the MoH in organising the conference in 2026.

Closing by the Permanent Secretary

The conference was officially closed by Dr. Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary-MoH. She highlighted five points for all of us to remember as takeaway from the dialogue.

• All of us should innovate solutions for the challenges before us including innovative leadership. Uganda’s population growth remains high and the resources are not growing at same rate therefore challenges will continue to arise therefore innovation is necessary.
• Inculcate a culture and mindset change and remember health change begins with each of us.
• Integrate not verticalization because it is the right thing to do, leads to efficiency and gives results.
• As government continues to explore means of resource mobilisation, smart investments in high impact activities and priorities are critical.
• Call upon all of us, to implement the resolutions reached.

She thanked all stakeholders for the contributions made towards success of the conference.