Health

The silent teachers: why body donation matters

Published

3 months ago

June 5, 2026

Mak Editor

Assoc. Prof. Erisa Sabakaki Mwaka, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Chair, Department of Anatomy, College of Health Sciences (CHS). Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

_{By Assoc. Prof. Erisa Mwaka and Joyce Nabukalu-Kiwanuka}

In every hospital, there is a moment when knowledge becomes a matter of life and death. A doctor must know where to place an incision, how to avoid damaging major organs, how to identify a nerve, how to deliver a baby safely, how to interpret a scan, or how to explain disease to a worried family. That knowledge does not begin in the operating theatre, it begins much earlier, in the anatomy laboratory.

For generations, the study of the human body has been the foundation of medical education. The regular use of human bodies for medical training purposes began in the late Middle Ages and spread during the 18th and 19th centuries. Initially, anatomists depended on gallows, poor houses, mental asylums, or jails as sources of bodies. However, the 1960s and 1970s saw the emergence of wilful body donation. Before students become doctors, surgeons, dentists, nurses, physiotherapists, radiographers, and other health professionals, they must first understand the human body in its real form. They must learn not only from books and diagrams, but from the body itself. This is why cadavers, though silent, remain the most important teachers in medical education. In simple terms, a cadaver is a dead human body used by health professions students to study anatomy; and Anatomy is the study of the physical structure and organization of the human body, both at macroscopic and microscopic levels.

As the Department of Anatomy at Makerere University College of Health Sciences prepares to commemorate the “silent teachers” whose bodies are used for medical education on June 11, 2026, Uganda is invited to reflect on a subject that is rarely discussed in the public domain, willed body donation. Body donation simply means a person willfully donates their body for educational purposes after death, and consent to it in life. This is a sensitive topic, but it is also a deeply human one. It touches our beliefs, families, culture, understanding of death, and responsibility to future generations.This commemoration ceremony is not symbolic but, it is a public statement that the contribution of silent teachers is sacred, educational, and deeply appreciated.

To donate one’s body after death is not an ordinary decision; it is an altruistic act of extraordinary generosity. It is a final gift to society. It allows health professions students to learn and appreciate the human body before they treat living patients. Cadavers are therefore not “specimens”, they are silent teachers and partners in medical education who continue to serve humanity even after death. Learning anatomy using a cadaver helps students to understand and appreciate the complexity of the human body, appreciate its natural variations, and develop the confidence and competence needed to serve the public. Students are also taught laboratory etiquette that emphasises dignity, empathy, and utmost respect for the cadavers, which attributes they carry into the clinical years when they interface with hospital patients.

In Uganda, where the demand for health workers continues to grow, medical education must be strengthened at every level. Our country needs well-trained doctors and health professionals who can serve in hospitals, health centres, universities, research institutions, and communities. But good training requires good teaching resources. One of these resources are the silent teachers who never complain, but impart immeasurable knowledge to future health professionals. Modern technology has introduced many useful tools into medical education. Students can now learn from videos, computer applications, digital images, plastic models, three-dimensional models, and virtual platforms. These tools are important and should be embraced, however, they cannot completely replace learning from the real human body. A cadaver teaches what a diagram cannot fully show; the true position of organs, the texture of tissues, the relationship between structures, and the natural differences that exist from one person to another. More importantly, cadaver-based learning teaches respect. It reminds students that medicine is not simply a technical profession, it is a calling rooted in human dignity. The first lesson students learn in the anatomy laboratory is that the body before them belonged to a person who had a name, a family, a story, and a life. That lesson shapes how they later treat patients.

Currently, most, if not all universities in Uganda, and similar settings in Africa use unclaimed bodies for learning Anatomy. The use of cadavers in Uganda is governed by the Penal Code (Anatomy Rules) of 1957 that permits public hospitals to transfer bodies unclaimed for at least 14 days to a medical training institution like Makerere University. Unfortunately, these cadavers are used without the consent of the deceased because most of them are unknown and with no known relatives to claim them. Many opponents to the use of unclaimed bodies opine that the practice is unethical. There is a global push toward ethical use of cadavers in medical education, where a person consents and bequeathes his/her body for medical education when still alive. For this practice to be sustainable, there is a need for a well regulated body donation program. Unfortunately, the concept of willful body donation is still not well understood by many people, and neither has it been a topic of public debate. Further, there are lots of myths surrounding death and dying in Africa, including Uganda that have hindered the establishment of successful body donation programs. Willingness to donate bodies for medical education is however, influenced by several factors including cultural and religious beliefs, respect for the dead and the need to fulfil burial rites, fear for mutilation and disrespect, to mention a few. These concerns are real and should not be dismissed. But they should be addressed with accurate information, openness, and utmost respect.

It is important to understand that body donation does not mean that a person is forgotten. On the contrary, it creates a legacy. A body donor may teach hundreds of future health professionals, in that way, one person’s final act of generosity can touch and save countless lives. This is kind of patriotism is largely unkown in Uganda and we do not speak about enough. We often talk about serving our country through leadership, business, farming, teaching, parenting, or community service. But there is also service beyond life. Body donation is one way of saying: “Even when I am gone, let me contribute to the health of my people.”

Currently, Uganda now has more than 15 universities training medical students and the demand for cadavers for learning anatomy is on the rise. Actually, the supply of cadavers cannot fulfil the demand, and medical educationists need to find alternative source of cadavers. Wilful body donation is the answer.

Uganda needs a national conversation on body donation. There is a need for deliberative public engagement involving various stakeholder including the public, religious and cultural leaders, civic leaders, the media, educationists, health professionals, medical training institutions, etc.

This commemoration ceremony will involve inter-denominational prayers for the silent teachers, and a reflection of their contribution to healthcare in Uganda. We hope this ceremony will provoke public debate on a subject that is hitherto considered a taboo by many. We talked about some of these issues last year, in the first ever such ceremony in Uganda, and have received several requests for more information on the procedure for donating one’s body for teaching purposes upon death. Like President Obama’s said, “yes we can”, an the dialogue starts from you and me. You are all invited for the commemoration ceremony at 9.00 am on June 11, 2026, at the Makerere University School of Public Health auditorium on main campus.

To donate one’s body is to give a final lesson, a final service, and a lasting gift to the nation.

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Related Topics:Africa anatomy Anatomy Rules bequeath body donation cadavers CHS human body medical education operating theatre Penal Code Silent Teacher Uganda

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MakSPH Newsletter Jan–Jun 2026

Published

2 days ago

September 11, 2026

John Okeya

What will it take for Uganda’s health financing to match the scale of its ambitions? How does a nation ensure that the systems it builds are ones the government can fully own, sustain, and grow? And who are the leaders being shaped today to carry this work into the future?

The inaugural issue of the Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) newsletter follows these questions through six months of research, partnership, and institutional growth. Inside: MakSPH’s role in the national dialogue on sustainable health financing; the milestone handover of 16 MakSPH-METS digital health systems, built over 15 years, to Ministry of Health stewardship; and the research and academic investment shaping the School’s next phase of growth.

The edition also covers Vice-Chancellor’s Research Excellence Awards for MakSPH faculty, a new CARTA doctoral cohort, progress on the School’s new building, fresh leadership in the Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, expanding partnerships in malaria, environmental health, and maternal care, and MakSPH students stepping into leadership across Makerere‘s 92^nd Guild Government.

Read the full newsletter:

Makerere-SPH-Newsletter-Jan-Jun-2026 Download

Health

From Evidence to Impact; How the MNCH Centre is Advancing RMNCAH in Uganda e-Post 135

Published

4 days ago

September 9, 2026

Mak Editor

Stakeholders that took part in the VectorCam Uganda Mid-Review Dissemination Meeting pose for a group photo on 27th August 2026. Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) Auditorium, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Research has the greatest value when it moves beyond publication to improve lives.

At Makerere University’s Centre of Excellence for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH Centre) housed at Makerere University School of Public Health, research, partnerships and innovation are being translated into action to strengthen reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) in Uganda and beyond.

Welcome to the September MNCH Centre e-Post 135.

This month, we spotlight how evidence is informing action across reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) at the centre.

Explore how Centre researchers and partners are advancing innovations to reduce early perinatal mortality, how Makerere University through the Centre and WHO are strengthening capacity to monitor health inequalities, and how the Centre and its partners are leveraging AI to strengthen health systems and improve malaria surveillance.

Discover what these innovations could mean for scale, stronger health systems and greater impact.

Explore the September edition here: https://mnh.musph.ac.ug/newsletter/

Health

The 92nd Guild Ministry of Health Back with the Annual Guild Medical Camp

Published

2 weeks ago

August 31, 2026

Philemon Akoragye

Participants visit the STI Screening Tent during the Annual Medical Camp in 2025. The 91st Guild Ministry of Health Annual Makerere Guild Medical Camp, 3rd and 4th October 2025, Freedom Square, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

The 92^nd Guild Ministry of Health is set to host the Annual Makerere Guild Medical Camp, a three-day outreach that will bring free and essential medical services to students, staff, and the surrounding community. The camp will run from 17^th to 19^th September 2026, from 8:00am to 5:00pm each day, at the Freedom Square.

Themed around promoting student wellness for academic excellence, the medical camp is organised under the leadership of Hon. Wamezaya Ebenezer, the Minister of Health in the 92^nd Guild Government, in alliance with several partner organisations supporting the university’s health and wellness agenda. The initiative reflects a growing recognition within student leadership circles that academic performance is closely tied to the physical and mental wellbeing of the university community.

Comprehensive Range of Services

The medical camp will offer a wide range of services designed to address both routine and specialised health needs. On the general health side, attendees will have access to general and specialist medical consultations, allowing students, staff, and community members to seek professional advice on a variety of health concerns without the usual costs associated with private or even public healthcare.

A female medical personnel attends to a male client. The 91st Guild Ministry of Health Annual Makerere Guild Medical Camp, 3rd and 4th October 2025, Freedom Square, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa. — ***A female medical personnel attends to a male client.***

Screening services will also be a central feature of the camp. Organisers have confirmed that sickle cell testing, malaria rapid diagnostic testing, and HIV screening will be available on site, giving participants the opportunity to know their status and receive guidance on appropriate next steps. Eye care services and laboratory diagnostics will round up this category, addressing common but often neglected areas of student health.

Beyond diagnostics and consultations, the camp will provide free essential medicines to those who need them, easing the financial burden that often accompanies treatment even after a diagnosis has been made. Reproductive health counseling will also be offered, giving students a confidential space to discuss matters that are frequently overlooked in general campus health conversations. Mental health counseling completes the list of available services, an inclusion that speaks to the increasing attention being paid to psychological wellbeing within the university community.

A Camp Open to the Wider Community

While the camp is organised by the Guild Ministry of Health and centred on student welfare, its reach extends beyond the student body. Organisers have made it clear that the free medical services will be available to students, staff, and members of the whole Makerere community, positioning the event as a broader public health contribution rather than a strictly internal university affair. This inclusive approach mirrors similar outreach efforts previously undertaken by student leadership and university departments, which have sought to position Makerere University not just as a centre of learning but as an active contributor to community welfare in the areas surrounding its campuses.

A male client gets his BMI checked. The 91st Guild Ministry of Health Annual Makerere Guild Medical Camp, 3rd and 4th October 2025, Freedom Square, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa. — ***A male client gets his BMI checked.***

Freedom Square, long regarded as the symbolic heart of student activity and expression at Makerere University, was selected as the venue for the three day event. Its central location and historic significance make it an accessible and fitting site for an initiative of this scale, expected to draw considerable numbers of participants over the course of the camp.

Health as a Pillar of Academic Success

The organisers have anchored the medical camp around the message of promoting student wellness for academic excellence, a theme that underscores the connection between health and academic performance. University life often places significant demands on students, both physically and mentally, and untreated health concerns can quietly undermine academic progress long before they become visible crises. By bringing screening, treatment, and counseling services directly to students at no cost, the Guild Ministry of Health is addressing barriers that might otherwise prevent students from seeking care, whether due to cost, distance, or stigma, particularly around mental health and reproductive health matters.

The 91st Guild Minister of Health, Hon. Bbosa Sharif (L) poses by the event banner in the Freedom Square. The 91st Guild Ministry of Health Annual Makerere Guild Medical Camp, 3rd and 4th October 2025, Freedom Square, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa. — ***The 91st Guild Minister of Health, Hon. Bbosa Sharif (L) poses by the event banner in the Freedom Square.***

The inclusion of mental health counseling alongside more traditional physical health services is particularly notable. It signals an evolving understanding among student leaders that wellness cannot be addressed through physical checkups alone, and that psychological support deserves equal standing within campus health initiatives. Similarly, the presence of reproductive health counseling reflects an effort to normalise conversations that many young people find difficult to initiate on their own.

What to Expect

Over the three days, participants can expect a structured environment at Freedom Square, with separate service points catering to the different categories of care on offer. Medical professionals will be on hand to conduct consultations and screenings, while counselors will provide guidance on reproductive and mental health matters in a setting designed to protect privacy and encourage openness.

Given the scale of services on offer and the open invitation extended to staff and community members in addition to students, organisers anticipate strong turnout throughout the three day period. Those interested in attending are encouraged to plan their visits within the stated hours of 8:00am to 5:00pm to take full advantage of the services available.

H.E. Bbosa Sharif receives female students at the Medical Camp. The 91st Guild Ministry of Health Annual Makerere Guild Medical Camp, 3rd and 4th October 2025, Freedom Square, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa. — ***H.E. Bbosa Sharif receives female students at the Medical Camp.***

For any inquiries regarding the medical camp, members of the university community and the public have been directed to reach out to Hon. Wamezaya Ebenezer, the Minister of Health, through the contact provided by the Guild Ministry of Health.

Building on a Guild Tradition

The Annual Makerere Guild Medical Camp is not a new concept within student governance at the university. Successive Guild Ministries of Health have used the medical camp as a recurring platform through which they translate campaign promises around student welfare into visible action. Each edition tends to build on the lessons of the one before it, with organisers typically expanding the range of services offered as new partnerships are secured and as feedback from previous camps is incorporated into planning.

Sickle Cell Screening (Left Tent) was one of the services offered. The 91st Guild Ministry of Health Annual Makerere Guild Medical Camp, 3rd and 4th October 2025, Freedom Square, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa. — ***Sickle Cell Screening (Left Tent) was one of the services offered.***

This year’s edition, organised under the 92^nd Guild Ministry of Health, appears to place particular emphasis on breadth of service, combining preventive screening, curative consultation, and psychosocial support within a single three-day window. The decision to bundle sickle cell testing, malaria and HIV screening alongside eye care and laboratory diagnostics suggests an intention to make the camp a one stop point for health assessment, reducing the need for participants to seek out multiple providers across the city for basic checks they might otherwise postpone indefinitely.

Why Timing Matters

The scheduling of the camp in September places it at a point in the academic calendar when many students are settling back into campus life after recess, a period during which health concerns accumulated over the break, whether physical ailments left unattended or emerging mental health pressures tied to academic anxiety, tend to surface. Offering free consultations and counseling at this juncture allow students to address these concerns early, before they compound into more serious complications that could interfere with coursework, examinations, or general campus participation.

A female medical personnel attends to a female client. The 91st Guild Ministry of Health Annual Makerere Guild Medical Camp, 3rd and 4th October 2025, Freedom Square, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa. — ***A female medical personnel attends to a female client.***

For staff members and residents of the areas surrounding the university, the timing also offers a convenient opportunity to access services that might otherwise require travel to distant health facilities or extended waiting periods within an already strained public health system. In this sense, the camp functions as a modest but meaningful supplement to existing healthcare provision in the vicinity of the university.

As the 17^th of September approaches, the Annual Makerere Guild Medical Camp stands as another example of the Guild Ministry of Health stepping beyond the boundaries of policy and advocacy into direct, hands-on service delivery, a model that continues to shape the character of guild ministries at Makerere University. Students, staff, and members of the surrounding community are encouraged to take advantage of the free services on offer and to look out for further communication from the Guild Ministry of Health as the event draws closer.

For more info, reach Hon. Wamezaya on +256784541248