Health
Makerere University becomes Africa’s new nerve centre in the fight against Ebola
By Fred Ouma
Kampala — On Saturday, a car park on the campus of Makerere University in Kampala became the stage for a continental emergency response. Delegates, dignitaries and diplomats gathered in the tent outside the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), a research institute owned by the university, for the formal launch of the Continental Incident Management Support Team (IMST), a joint Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) operation racing to contain the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola sweeping through the Democratic Republic of the Congo and, increasingly, Uganda. After the ribbon-cutting, guests were led inside to tour the team’s new home at IDI’s McKinnell Knowledge Centre, where the command offices have now been set up.
The numbers explain the urgency. As of 21 June, more than 1,000 confirmed cases and 269 deaths had been recorded across the two countries, the vast majority in Ituri Province in eastern DRC. Uganda’s tally stood at 20 cases and two deaths, almost all traced to cross-border movement from the DRC. Eighty-two health workers have been infected, 18 fatally, a toll that helped push the WHO to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in May, mirrored days later by Africa CDC’s own continental emergency declaration.
Until now, the international response has been coordinated remotely, a patchwork of video calls and scattered logistics that officials admit slowed decision-making. The Kampala launch marks a shift from that fragmented model to a single, physically co-located command centre housed at IDI’s McKinnell Knowledge Centre, bringing case management, surveillance, logistics and risk communication specialists under one roof. From there, the convoy of delegates moved on to Kajjansi, on the outskirts of Entebbe, for the formal activation of the IMST’s regional logistics hub, the facility tasked with staging and rapidly deploying protective equipment and medical supplies across the outbreak zone.
For Uganda’s health minister, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, the symbolism was as important as the logistics. Speaking at the launch, he argued that no nation can consider itself protected until its neighbours are equally prepared, framing cross-border solidarity as an operational necessity rather than an aspiration. He also announced a new memorandum of understanding with the DRC establishing joint Ebola treatment centres and laboratory services in the border towns of Aru and Kasenyi, warning that outbreak response cannot succeed while transmission continues unchecked on one side of a shared frontier.
The WHO’s regional emergency director, Dr Marie-Roseline Belizaire, described the unified command structure as transformative, saying it would pool resources across agencies, cut duplication and keep field decisions anchored to scientific evidence. Africa CDC’s Dr Tolbert Nyenswah confirmed the team, specialists in case management, infection prevention, logistics and contact tracing, has now relocated physically to Kampala to work closer to the epicentre. Eleven epidemic-prone African nations, including Rwanda, Burundi, Angola and the Central African Republic, are participating in the preparedness effort even though most have not registered a single case.
For IDI and Makerere University, hosting the command centre carries weight beyond the immediate crisis. IDI’s executive director, Dr Andrew Kambugu, said the institute had provided a fully equipped space, now installed at the McKinnell Knowledge Centre, enabling real-time communication between field teams, regional governments and international partners in Geneva, and framed the moment as proof that academic institutions can engage directly with pressing societal problems rather than observe from the sidelines.
That framing matters for a continent whose research infrastructure has often been treated as peripheral to its own health emergencies. By anchoring the IMST’s command function within a Ugandan public university rather than in a foreign capital, the launch signals a modest but symbolic rebalancing: an African-led institution taking custody of an African-led response. The day’s itinerary made the point physically as well as symbolically: from the ribbon-cutting in Makerere’s car park, to the tour of the new command offices, to the drive out to Kajjansi to switch on the logistics hub, delegates traced the full chain of the response they had just committed to running.
Fred Ouma is the Corporate Communications Specialist, Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI).
The Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) on July 10, 2026, welcomed senior six science students from Ngora High School and Wiggins Secondary School to an inspiring Career Fair aimed at guiding them on careers in health sciences and introducing them to the wide range of academic programmes offered by the College.
The event brought together students pursuing Physics, Chemistry, Biology (PCB) and Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics (BCM), providing them with a unique opportunity to interact with the College leadership, tour laboratories and teaching facilities, and learn first-hand about careers in medicine and other health science disciplines.
Welcoming the students, the College Principal, Prof. Bruce Kirenga, described the College of Health Sciences as one of Africa’s oldest and most distinguished medical schools, with a legacy spanning more than a century.
“We started in 1924, making us one of the oldest medical schools on the continent. You have made the right decision to visit Makerere, and we are delighted to welcome you,” he said.
Prof. Kirenga commended the school administrators and teachers for organizing the visit, noting that exposing learners to university environments early helps them make informed career choices. He explained that the College introduced the Open Day concept after receiving numerous requests from schools seeking career guidance visits.
He congratulated the students for choosing science subjects, describing science as the foundation for solving society’s most pressing challenges.
“You have already made one of the most important decisions by choosing to become scientists. Even more importantly, you have chosen life sciences—a field dedicated to preserving and improving life,” he remarked.
The Principal emphasized that careers in life sciences extend far beyond medicine, encouraging students to remain open-minded as they consider their future.
“Everything that has life requires professionals to keep it healthy—from human beings and animals to crops and the environment. The opportunities are immense, including agriculture, veterinary medicine, biomedical sciences, public health and many other emerging fields.”
He also advised students not to limit themselves to only one academic programme during university applications, recalling instances where highly qualified students narrowly missed admission because they selected only one course.
“Remain open to the opportunities available. Medicine is an excellent profession, but there are many other programmes that are equally rewarding and are shaping the future of healthcare and scientific innovation,” he said.
Prof. Kirenga further encouraged the students to embrace lifelong learning, reminding them that scientific knowledge remains valuable regardless of the career path they eventually pursue.
Addressing the students, the Dean of the School of Medicine, Prof. Annette Nakimuli, acknowledged the growing competition for admission into medical programmes and urged learners to work hard while keeping an open mind about the diverse opportunities available within health sciences.
She explained that admission into the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) programme has become increasingly competitive due to the rising number of high-performing applicants.
“This year we witnessed unprecedented competition for government sponsorship, with many applicants scoring triple A at Advanced Level and outstanding grades at Ordinary Level. That tells you that you must prepare yourselves to excel academically,” she said.
Prof. Nakimuli noted that while many students aspire to become medical doctors, the health sector today offers numerous innovative programmes that are equally important.
“There are many programmes that parents, teachers and students are still not familiar with. Biomedical Engineering, for example, is one of the exciting fields driving the future of healthcare, yet many students overlook it because they focus only on medicine.”
She encouraged students to explore emerging disciplines that combine medicine, engineering, technology and research, noting that the future of healthcare increasingly depends on multidisciplinary professionals.
The Dean also introduced students to the structure of the School of Medicine, explaining that it comprises twelve academic departments and two specialised units covering a broad spectrum of clinical disciplines, including Internal Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), Family Medicine, Anaesthesia and Critical Care, among others.
She explained that students are trained by specialists across these disciplines to become competent general practitioners before pursuing further specialization.
Prof. Erisa Mwaka, the Chair of the Department of Human Anatomy, shared with the students about the School of Biomedical Sciences (SBS). He said the school is one of the four schools that make up the Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS). As the foundation of medical education, the School provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the biological and molecular sciences that underpin modern healthcare, disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
The School comprises several departments, including:
- Human Anatomy
- Biochemistry
- Physiology
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics
- Pathology
- Microbiology
- Medical Illustration
The School offers undergraduate programmes such as the Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences, which equips students with strong laboratory, research and analytical skills, and the Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering, an interdisciplinary programme that integrates engineering, medicine and technology to develop innovative healthcare solutions.
At postgraduate level, the School offers a wide range of master’s and doctoral programmes, including Human Anatomy, Physiology, Pharmacology, Bioinformatics, Immunology and Clinical Microbiology, Health Bioethics, Medical Illustration, Pathology and other biomedical specializations that prepare graduates for careers in research, academia, diagnostics, biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry. The school also offers a wide range of diploma courses.
Throughout the Career Fair, students interacted with faculty members, toured laboratories and learning facilities, and received guidance on university admission, academic programmes and career prospects within the health sciences.
The Career Fair forms part of the College’s broader outreach programme aimed at nurturing the next generation of healthcare professionals by exposing learners to university life and equipping them with the information needed to make informed academic and career decisions.
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