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Makerere University School of Public Health takes the Fight against Childhood Malnutrition to Luuka District, Eastern Uganda

Published on 02 May 2013 Hits: 271

The Makerere University School of Public Health has once again been thrown in the limelight with its staff winning yet another of the hotly contested Grand Challenges Canada Bold Ideas Grants.

The project whose Principal Investigator is Ms. Florence Tushemerirwe (Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences) and co-investigated by Dr. Peter Waiswa (Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management) will use an integrated model for eliminating childhood malnutrition in rural areas. It will be implemented in Luuka District in Eastern Uganda.

The project will be implemented in partnership with Makerere University School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bioengineering as a sub-grantee.

The project is trying to solve problems of malnutrition (Stunting, wasting and under-weight) among U5 year children. With a successful project, results will be translated into policy, to improve food security, health and household incomes.

Background

Globally, in 2010, 26.7% of preschoolers were stunted, 16.2% were underweight and 8.6% were wasted. In Africa, these stood at 38.2%, 19.3% and 10.0% respectively, while Eastern Africa stands at 44.6%, 19.3% and 8.5% respectively which are very high levels compared to the internationally acceptable levels.

In Uganda, 33% of U5 children are stunted, 14% are underweight while 5% are wasted (UDHS 2012). 49% of U5s and 41% women are anaemic. Only 63% of infants are exclusively breastfed and 82% of infants 6-23 months are not fed according to recommendations.

25% of U5 children in Eastern Uganda are stunted, 10% are under-weight and 5% are wasted, while 58% U5s and 28% women of reproductive age are anaemic.

Malnutrition consequences

Malnutrition is an underlying cause of morbidity and mortality among U5 children. In Uganda, neonatal mortality stands at 27deaths per 1,000live births, 54/1,000, and 90/1,000 live births among U5s. Child mortality is high among poor households where mothers have minimal nutrition knowledge in how to feed themselves and their children. Eastern Uganda mortality rates stand at 27/1,000 live births among neonates, 47/1,000 live births among infants and 87/1,000 live births among U5s.

Brief Project Intervention

The project aims at eliminating mild malnutrition among mothers and children 0-2 years t community level, using an integrated model, combining a highly nutritious low-cost, easily accessible, culturally acceptable supplementary food product made from local foods. This will be developed in partnership with the Makerere University School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bioengineering.

Mothers and children will receive this supplement until their children are 2 years. The idea is to prevent micronutrient deficiencies in early childhood and among women of reproductive age. Further, we shall implement an intense behavior change communication program including recommended key nutrition messages during mothers’ follow up. Also, we shall integrate Family Planning (FP) and promote prompt care seeking for mothers and children in case of common illnesses as well as involve the community at all project stages.

Successful project results will be translated into the Uganda food and nutrition policy.

Why this is a bold idea

The model will be implemented as a package, targeting Prevention of malnutrition before birth; has proactive/active surveillance, it is data driven and community -led by Community Health workers. Further, it will empower communities to engage in income generation through providing the supplementary food raw materials. Also, it is multidisciplinary in nature, integrating academia (Food technology, Nutrition, Public Health and Medicine) and communities. Further, the processed food will be marketed to Ministry of Health, UNICEF, NGOs, and the private sector at a low cost, bridging the gap between private and public sectors to focus on solving a common community problem. We are also partnering with the health policy stakeholders and hope to influence policy through this implementation research. This is an exciting opportunity, with a rare stakeholders’ combination to work together towards a common goal.

For more information please contact:

Ms. Milly Nattimba, Communication Officer, College of Health Sciences, Tel: +256-782-549387, Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Web: http://chs.mak.ac.ug

Ms. Florence Tushemerirwe, Assistant Lecturer Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences, School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Tel: +256-718198248, Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Web: http://musph.mak.ac.ug

SHORT-TERM GRANT FOR RESEARCH CAPACITY STRENGTHENING AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT TO HELP IMPROVE DISEASE CONTROL

Published on 15 April 2013 Hits: 661

This is a new short-term grant scheme designed to bridge strategic gaps in research capacity and
knowledge management to help researchers and health professionals increase their contribution in
addressing issues related to disease control. Building on past investments in low- and middle-income
countries (LMIC), the grant provides support to individuals or research teams to:

• expand their scope of knowledge and/or skills, and contribute to long-term achievements and
   sustainability of research efforts leading to health improvement
• address specific research capacity or knowledge management aspects that can advance the
   understanding, analysis and ways of finding solutions to public health problems

This grant was developed to support the new strategic plan of the Special Programme for Research
and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), which gives emphases to intervention and implementation
research, and research capacity strengthening to improve the health of those burdened by infectious
diseases of poverty.

Support under this grant will be flexible, based on public health relevance, scientific quality and
feasibility of the proposed expected output to be achieved within a period of one year. Examples of
activities to be supported under the scheme include, but are not limited to:

Targeted short-term training, mentorship or workshops in methodologies related to
implementation/operation research and knowledge management such as: systematic and
scoping reviews, development of operational tools, data management, harmonization of
protocols, approaches for translating research results into policy and practices, observational
studies to understand and address programmatic and operational issues.

The grant will not fund formal academic degree training, experimental studies or data collection
involving human subjects or biological samples, or acquisition of skills not linked to a specific scientific
output. In 2013 it is anticipated that 20-30 new grants (up to US$ 50 000, non-renewed) will be
awarded.

Eligibility
The grant is targeted to nationals from low- and middle-income countries, employed by a national
governmental or non-governmental organization for at least 12 months. Each application must be
endorsed by the head of the home institution. Only proposals with tangible results will be considered.
Applications from previous TDR grantees and from women are encouraged.

How to apply:
Applicants must prepare a proposal using Times New Roman font (12) and 1.5 line spacing including:

•Identification
- full name (family name in capital letters), date of birth, sex and nationality
- personal address, telephone number and email
- current position, institution name, address, telephone number, e-mail and web site
• A half page abstract of the proposed activity/project
• A rationale for the proposal and its potential impact (maximum 4 pages), including:
- background and objectives
- a description of the specific needs/gaps to be addressed with the proposed activity
- a description of the output to be generated
- suggestions for how to extend the benefit of the support to the home institution
- budget with detailed breakdown
• A letter of support from the host/collaborating institution or mentor (as applicable)
• An official letter of endorsement from the home institution, confirming the applicant’s ability
     to undertake the proposed activity, and certifying that the applicant will be granted leave of
    absence
• A summary curriculum vitae including educational and employment history, and professional
   achievements (maximum 4 pages)

Applications should be sent to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. in a single e-mail with a single pdf file attached
including the CV, proposal, letter(s) of support/endorsement. On the subject line please indicate:
“name of the applicant – RCS/KM grant 2013”.

Applications will be reviewed on a competitive basis by an external panel of experts based on the
relevance of proposed activities, and the expected result in terms of new knowledge, skills or tools
and the added value of the grant.

Submission deadline is 12 May 2013
Applications received after the deadline will not be reviewed

For further information contact:
Research Capacity Strengthening & Knowledge Management
World Health Organization / TDR
20, Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27 - Switzerland
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ms. Susan Babirye Kayongo Scoops the Matthew Lukwiya Award of the Makerere University School of Public Health HIV/AIDS Fellowship Programme

Published on 25 March 2013 Hits: 841

The Chancellor Makerere University Professor George Mondo Kagonyera, has hailed the Late Dr. Matthew Lukwiya as an extra-ordinary doctor, who sacrificed his life to save the lives of others. He therefore implored the outgoing Long term fellows to emulate the late Matthew Lukwiya and serve selflessly for the benefit of others. “Fellowship programme graduates have continued to shine on the job market and 90% hold key positions in public and other institutions”, he emphasized.

Professor Kagonyera was presiding over the graduation and final dissemination ceremony for the 2011-2013 intake of Long Term Fellows, under the Makerere University School of Public Health-US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention HIV/AIDS (MakSPH-CDC HIV/AIDS) Fellowship Programme. The event was held at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala.

The Fellowship Programme presents the Matthew Lukwiya Award to the best performing fellow, in terms of achievement of programme objectives, providing leadership to others, exercising professionalism and serving above self. The Late Dr. Matthew Lukwiya died on the 5th of December 2000 as he struggled to save the lives of many from the deadly Ebola virus in Northern Uganda.

Prof. Mondo Kagonyera also decried the increasing disrespect for knowledge in Uganda, and was therefore happy to note that some of the fellows did their work well, put the knowledge acquired to use and are proud of it. He was happy to note that the fellowship programme

He thanked the School of Public Health for the unique hands-on training programme that interacts with end-users of the knowledge generated. He also paid tribute to the Makerere University College of Health Sciences for continuing to be a leading light and continuing to project Makerere University on the global academic and research map.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Country Director’s representative, Dr. Walter Obiero said the agency has so far invested more than USD 30 Million since 2004 to support the HIV response with USD 8.9 Million so far invested in the MakSPH-CDC HIV/AIDS Fellowship Programme.

The Deputy Principal, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Prof. Celestino Obua urged the Makerere University management to recruit some of the fellows who exhibited excellent performance. He was impressed with the work done by the fellows.

The Dean, School of Public Health Assoc Prof William Bazeyo said that the fellows are admitted through a very highly competitive process, meaning that only the cream are admitted.

He thanked the donors for the continued financial support, the mentors for guiding and caring about the growth of the fellows and the fellows for giving it their all.

The MakSPH-CDC HIV/AIDS Fellowship Programme is now eleven years and is six months into the 3rd five-year CDC grant. Since 2002, when the programme started, 81 long term fellows have completed, 120 Medium Term Fellows, while 2000 individuals have been reached through the short courses.

The highlight of the day’s events was the presentation of the Matthew Lukwiya Award which went to Susan Babirye Kayongo who has been hosted by FHI360 for her fellowship. She received a plaque and a cash prize of USD 1,000.

Ms. Susan Babirye receives her Matthew Lukwiya award plaque from Chancellor Mondo Kagonyera

The award for best academic mentor went to Dr. Florence Baingana of the School of Public Health while FHI360 scooped the award for best Host Institution.

Dr. Florence Baingana (second right) poses for a photo with the Chancellor Prof. Mondo Kagonyera after receiving her award

SHORT COURSE IN PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION PRACTICE & MANAGEMENT IN LOW INCOME COUNTRIES

Published on 08 April 2013 Hits: 700

The School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences has introduced a new Short Course for mid-level Manager of Public Private and non-governmental institutions. The course “Public Health Nutrition Practice & Management in low-Income Countries (PHNPM)” covers modules that include: Introduction to public health nutrition; nutrition & food security assessment; nutrition for vulnerable groups; nutrition program monitoring, evaluation & surveillance; and public health nutrition planning & programming. The course will last eleven days (Two weeks), from 17^th June to 28^thJune 2013. The course will be conducted by the School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala.

Course fees 1,250,000/= which covers course materials and lunch but excludes participant accommodation.

The course admits a maximum of 25 participants and admission is on first come first serve basis. For further details about the course, please contact Dr. Henry Wamani at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Mr. Richard Kajura at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS FROM COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES TO STUDY ON THE MSC GERONTOLOGY (DISTANCE LEARNING) PROGRAMME IN 2013-14

Published on 21 March 2013 Hits: 692

The Centre for Research on Ageing at the University of Southampton, in collaboration with the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission, is offering fifteen scholarships for students from Commonwealth countries to study on the MSc Gerontology (Distance Learning) programme in 2013-14. The scholarships cover tuition fees for the programme, teaching and learning materials, and travel, accommodation and subsistence for a 4-day Residential Course at the University. Ten scholarships are available for full-time study and five are available for part-time study. Citizens from any Commonwealth country are welcome to apply, although preference will be given to applications from citizens of the Commonwealth countries where the Centre for Research on Ageing is engaged in collaborative capacity building and research projects. These are: Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, The Gambia, Ghana, Jamaica, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and Zambia.

The deadline for applications is Friday 17 May 2013. For further information about this exciting opportunity visit our Scholarships page here:

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/ageing/postgraduate/scholarships.page

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