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The WHO and the U.S. government have praised Uganda’s public health initiatives, including the long-standing partnership with the U.S. CDC, Makerere University, and the Ministry of Health, which has contributed significantly to disease outbreak responses and improved health outcomes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States government have commended Uganda for its effective public health interventions, which have saved numerous lives.

Dr. Mary Boyd, the CDC Uganda Country Director, highlighted Uganda’s public health fellowship as an exemplary model of the long-standing collaboration between the U.S. government and Uganda. This partnership, which began in 1994, involves key institutions such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Makerere University, and the Ministry of Health, and has since expanded to include WHO and the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET).

Dr. Boyd made these remarks on Friday, November 22, 2024, at Hotel Africana in Kampala, during the 10th National Field Epidemiology and the second National Laboratory Leadership Conference.

She underscored the importance of this collaboration in fostering networks of public health experts who have made a significant impact on Uganda’s health sector, especially in responding to disease outbreaks such as COVID-19, Ebola, and Mpox.

“These professionals are at the forefront of critical public health efforts and play a vital role in strengthening Uganda’s public health response,” Dr. Boyd stated. “I applaud your tireless efforts and the achievements celebrated over the last 10 years.”

Dr. Boyd further emphasized that the U.S. global health security strategy for 2024 stresses that achieving sustainable global health security requires collective action.

The conference provided a platform for fellows from the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Leadership Training programs to present key public health insights, covering topics such as zoonoses and One Health, food and water-related diseases, laboratory policy and systems, malaria, tuberculosis (TB), HIV, vaccine-preventable diseases, and surveillance. Presentations also included updates from the Laboratory Leadership Program and Intermediate and Frontline Field Epidemiology training programs.

The goal of epidemiologic investigations is to halt ongoing health issues, prevent further illnesses, and derive lessons to prevent similar outbreaks in the future through data collection, hypothesis testing, and the development of control strategies.

The annual conference was organized by the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH), the research arm of Uganda’s Ministry of Health, in partnership with the CDC, Baylor Uganda, and Makerere University School of Public Health. Other participants included officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and international development partners.

Studies presented during the conference highlighted significant achievements, including the successful sensitization of Ugandan citizens to report malaria cases and other disease outbreaks promptly.

Dr. Boyd also acknowledged the alignment of the U.S. global health strategy with the work being done in Uganda, focusing on the shared goal of protecting communities from future health threats. She praised the resilience of health systems worldwide in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Sorome Okware, representative of the WHO Country Director, noted that this milestone not only celebrates progress but also emphasizes the importance of collective action in addressing public health challenges. The integration of human, animal, and environmental health through the One Health approach has been a central focus of the fellowship’s work in recent years.

WHO encourages all member states to actively participate in epidemiology training programs within national health systems, and commended Uganda’s Ministry of Health for its efforts in this area.

Dr. Dithan Kiragga, Executive Director of Baylor Uganda, expressed gratitude to all participants for their commitment to the training programs, stressing the importance of collective effort in achieving the programs’ goals and ensuring their continued success.

Alumni who chaired different sessions during the conference included Immaculate Atuhaire, Dr. Alex Ndyabakyira, Otita Morgan, Sandra Nabatanzi, Dr. Yvette Wibabara, Dr. Fred Monje, and Steven Kabwama.

Charity Mutesi, a field epidemiologist from NIPH, presented research on Malaria in pregnancy (MiP). She noted a rising trend in the disease, although interventions by the Ministry of Health have kept transmission rates stable. Mutesi highlighted the severe outcomes of MiP, including maternal and infant deaths, and emphasized the importance of pregnant women seeking care at lower-level health centers, which are often the first point of contact for patients.

Field researchers recommend increased availability of malaria prevention commodities, such as mosquito nets, particularly at lower-level health facilities that see the majority of cases.

A separate study by Susan Waako in Fort Portal in June 2024 revealed a concerning trend, with 74% of teenage girls engaging in sexual relationships with businessmen for financial support. The study involved 355 adolescent girls and young women aged 15 to 24 years.