On the evening of Wednesday, June 4, 2025, a significant meeting took place at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), where the Healthy Adolescents and Young People (HAY!) project team, under the Department of Maternal Newborn and Child Health Research (DMNCHR), hosted Dr. Diana Atwiine, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and a MUST alumna. This crucial session convened key stakeholders from the MOH, MUST, and other relevant organizations to deliberate on ongoing programs, future strategies, and collaborative opportunities aimed at enhancing health outcomes in Uganda.
Welcoming Remarks and Collaborative Tone: Mr. Vincent Kwatampora Kansiime, the University Secretary, represented the University Management and extended a warm welcome to Dr. Atwiine and her delegation. His welcoming remarks set a collaborative tone for the discussions, emphasizing the importance of partnerships. He also conveyed the Vice Chancellor’s apologies for her absence due to official duties abroad and expressed appreciation to the University of Calgary for their invaluable support to the project.
Research Highlights and Community Engagement
The engagement was moderated by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, who stepped in for the Vice Chancellor. The discussions primarily focused on the research conducted by the DMNCHR, particularly in relation to the Healthy Adolescents and Young People initiative, Village Health Teams (VHTs), and broader community engagement efforts.
Dr. Kanyesigye Hamson, Director of the DMNCHR, presented a comprehensive overview of the department, highlighting its background, objectives, goals, achievements, future plans, and existing challenges. Following this, Dr. Tibenda Bulemu, representing communities that have worked with MUST provided a compelling “district perspective,” focusing on the Rubirizi and Bushenyi districts. Dr. Bulemu detailed the program’s evolution from 2002 to the present, underscoring its long-standing impact on the ground.
Teddy Kyomuhangi, Senior Manager at Healthy Child Uganda, also shared insights into her work, further enriching the discussions with practical program experiences.
Ministry of Health’s Call for Collaboration and Operational Research
Dr. Diana Atwiine, in her address, strongly emphasized the critical importance of collaboration between academia and the Ministry of Health. “We encourage clinicians to embed their work with the ministry. Most of the working interventions start as ideas, the interface of academia and clinicians is important,” she stated, highlighting the essential synergy required between research, clinical practice, and policy implementation to drive meaningful health outcomes. She further stressed the need for operational research to address challenges within Ugandan communities and urged the University administration to establish a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Health to solidify this partnership.
High-Level MOH Delegation
The high-level Ministry of Health delegation present at the meeting included:
- Diana Atwiine, Permanent Secretary
- Henry Mwebesa, Chairman, Health Service Commission
- Richard Kabanda, Commissioner, Health Promotion Education & Communication
- Richard Mugahi, Commissioner, Maternal & Infant Health
- Ronald Ocaatre, Assistant Commissioner, Strategic Health Communication
- Michael Baganizi, Program Manager, UNEPI
- Sharmina Kauma, Senior Sociologist
- Joshua Musasizi, Senior Advisor, Policy and Planning
- Edward Muganga, Senior Communication Officer, Health
- Emmanuel Ainebyoona, Senior Communication Officer, Public Relations
Conclusion:
The evening concluded with a dinner, which facilitated further networking and informal discussions among all attendees. This successful engagement marks a significant step in strengthening the partnership between academia and the Ministry of Health, paving the way for more impactful health interventions across Uganda.
