In a spirit of collaboration and shared purpose, Vice Chancellor Prof. Pauline Byakika-Kibwika hosted Prof. Louise Ivers and Dr. Stephens Asiimwe from the Global Health Collaborative. Prof. Ivers is a Professor of Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, a Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and the Director of the Harvard Global Health Institute at Harvard University, while Dr. Stephens Asiimwe is the Program Director of the Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) Global Health Collaborative (GHC), Uganda, an institutional partnership between MUST and the MGH Center for Global Health.
They gathered for a cordial meeting to reflect on their fruitful partnership over the past 17 years. Their journey together has been marked by significant achievements, including staff exchange programs, support for research, innovation, and community engagement through the First Mile Projects.
Prof. Ivers began the conversation by highlighting the importance of philanthropy from the citizens of the United States, which has been instrumental in funding these initiatives aimed at uplifting challenged communities. “Our work is a depiction of the noble cause championed by the GHC team,” she remarked, emphasizing the profound impact of these efforts.
Dr. Asiimwe echoed her sentiments, noting that the training opportunities available in the USA have exposed staff from MUST to the latest technologies and professional ethics in real science. “This training not only benefits individual staff members but also enhances our collective capability, allowing us to achieve much more together,” he stated.
Prof. Byakika congratulated MUST GHC on the significant achievements over the years. She highlighted the need for clinician scientists and specialized training in the country. She noted the rapid increase in medical schools and the subsequent surge in the number of doctors entering the workforce. “While this is a positive development, it calls for the need to continuously monitor the quality of training and health professionals in service,” she observed. She posed a critical question: “How do we rate ourselves in light of the large numbers of medical students in some institutions?”
Acknowledging the issues of low numbers of clinician scientists, Prof. Byakika expressed the need to build this capacity, which calls for us to avail more training opportunities in research methodology and Fellowships for specialized training. She pointed out that research skills are not adequately emphasized at undergraduate training. “Let us focus on equipping our students with research methods and critical thinking skills as an added advantage,” she suggested. “Encouraging critical thinking is vital. As healthcare professionals, we should be able to critique research papers effectively and conduct some research to solve local problems.”
Prof. Byakika added that motivating staff through placements at international universities as part of exchange programs, exposes and allows them to learn different professional approaches and technologies. “When they return, they are inspired to implement changes in their workplaces, appreciating their environments and striving for improvement,” she noted. She added that exchange programs for staff and students offer bidirectional benefits.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, with Dr. Asiimwe and Prof. Ivers expressing their gratitude for the feedback received. They pledged to work diligently on the discussed ideas and continue their collaboration, committed to fostering a culture of innovation and excellence in healthcare education and practice in Uganda.
Together, they envisioned a future where the synergy of their efforts would lead to enhanced healthcare quality, better-trained professionals, and ultimately, a healthier community.
