U.S. Government Awards $12.5 Million to Five Ugandan Medical Schools

Kampala: October 14, 2010

On October 7, the U.S. Government made two awards to Ugandan medical schools.  The first, from the U.S. Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI), awarded US$2 million per year for five years to a consortium of five Ugandan medical schools.  This award was made to Makerere University, which will lead a partnership involving Mbarara University, Gulu University, Kampala International University, and Busitema University.  Consortium members will work with the Johns Hopkins University in the U.S. to train new health care workers to improve Uganda’s capacity to deliver quality health care. 

The second award, from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), was given to Makerere University and its collaborators, including Mbarara University, the Uganda Virus Research Institute’s Medical Research Council, Case Western Reserve University, and Yale University.  This award will build capacity for cardiovascular research and training in Uganda.  This is also a five-year award and will provide US$500,000 per year. 

HIV, infectious diseases, and other severe health problems compounded by critical shortages of health care workers compromise effective health care delivery.  These two awards will help medical schools in Uganda produce more well-trained doctors to meet this critical need.

Professor Nelson Sewankambo, Principal of Makerere University College of Health Sciences and Principal Investigator of both awards, said: "This support marks a significant landmark in the history of medical education in Uganda with all medical schools collaborating to effectively increase both the quality and quantity of doctors trained and retained in the country."

Ambassador Eric Goosby, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, who leads the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), described the partnership as an important step to “transition PEPFAR-supported HIV efforts from an emergency response to a more sustainable effort… to develop the expertise necessary for evidence-based decision making on the local level.”  

NIH Director Francis S. Collins said: “Non-communicable diseases, such as maternal-child health issues, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mental illness, represent the fastest growing causes of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa.  We at NIH are delighted to join hands with our colleagues in PEPFAR to help build research and clinical capacity in these important areas of human health.”

These awards are funded through a partnership between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and PEPFAR.  They are made directly to African institutions in a dozen countries, working in partnership with U.S. medical schools and universities.  The initiative will form a network including about 30 regional partners, country health and education ministries, and more than 20 U.S. collaborators.

For additional information please contact:

Nanyonga Dorothy
Information Assistant
U.S Embassy Kampala
Tel: 256-41-4-306001(Ext. 6410)
Cell: 0772623508
Email: NanyongaDX@State.gov