Rotary Club of Kampala President Henry Rugamba washing his hands at the event in Luweero districtOn October 15 2021, ACHEST in partnership with JICA Uganda and the Rotary Club of Kampala successfully hosted 5 events to mark the Global Handwashing Day(GHWD), under the theme “The future at Hand. Let us Move Forward Together.”
The colorful events were simultaneously held in the districts that are leading the implementation of Uganda’s Community Engagement Strategy(CES) for COVID-19 Response, namely: Mukono, Ngora, Busia, and Amuru.

The 5th event was held in Luweero district, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Kampala.ACHESTs Dr. David Okello demonstrates how to wash hands Although not part of the CES pilot project, Rotarians have been leading the efforts and provided funding for powered bore holes and rainwater collection in Kalwanga Parish, Bututumula Sub-county to promote household hygiene in the Luweero communities.

All the five GHWD events brought together public health experts and educators, village health teams(VHTs), local leaders and residents of all ages. The highlight of the activities were the step-by-step demonstrations on why and how to properly wash their hands using soap and water to avoid needless diseases and infections such as COVID-19, diarrhea, cholera, dysentery among others.

Dr. David Okello making a presentation to the CSO platform on RMNCAH NCivil Society Organizations (CSOs) must demonstrate relevance and responsibility in their work in order to survive as well as have a lasting impact on society.
This call to action was made by the ACHEST Director of Health Systems Dr. David Okello, while making a presentation on Accountability to the CSO Platform on Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn Child and Adolescent Health plus Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) on October 12th, 2021.
Dr. Okello started his presentation on accountability as the duty of an organization or individual to be responsible for their actions and accept responsibility for them. He noted that there are different aspects of accountability: Social accountability means that public officials, politicians, and service providers are held responsible to the public and service users for their conduct and performance; while CSO accountability is about knowing how your organization is performing and being able to demonstrate this to stakeholders
He noted that CSOs have come to play an important role in society - through the provision of essential services, watchdog functions, or in advocating and influencing laws and policies. In various ways, CSOs impact on citizens in profound ways.

World Heart Day is celebrated every year on September 29 to raise awareness, prevention and management of heart disease.
In his message, the ACHEST Executive Director Prof. Francis Omaswa urged every individual to take responsibility for their health. Prof F. Omaswa, ED-ACHEST

“Heart Health starts with you as the owner of the heart. Eat the right food. Keep your weight right. Be physically active and exercise. Regularly check your blood pressure. Start today. This is simple and doable,” said Prof. Omaswa who is also a renowned cardiovascular surgeon and former founding Director of the Uganda Heart Institute and current Chair of the Uganda Gift of Life Heart Foundation.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. CVDs are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels and include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease and other conditions. More than four out of five CVD deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes, and one third of these deaths occur prematurely in people under 70 years of age.

The African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation(ACHEST) is facilitating hands-on training for health workers in the Teso and Bugisu/Sebei Sub regions.
This is part of the work that ACHEST is doing on behalf of the Ministry of Health to implement the Clinical Skills Update and Mentorship in Reproductive, Maternal  New Born, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) in eastern Uganda.

Clinical Skills and Mentorship in RMNCAHIn consultation with regional mentors identified  high-volume, high risk and difficult  to reach facilities, eight teams with skills and experience in CEmONC, BEmONC and anesthesia were formed to conduct onsite mentorship of the of the targeted facilities. This takes place  once a month for a period of five days spending an average of two and a half days in a facility. In order for mentorship to have impact, each facility is visited twice in the remaining four months(August – November) in which this work is expected to be completed. During the visit, the mentors interact with the health workers in the facility using interviews, observations, reviewing registers and reports, working together with the staff and in the process identify strengths and gaps. Some gaps are addressed immediately while for others a work plan is agreed with the mentees on when and how they will be addressed.

The African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation(ACHEST) hosted a talk on quality improvement in health care. This is part of the work that ACHEST is doing on behalf of the Ministry of Health to implement the Clinical Skills Update and Mentorship in Reproductive, Maternal New Born, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) in eastern Uganda.
The session held virtually on August 25, 2021, was attended by several participants including specialists, general practitioners, midwives, nurses, district health leaders, and administrative leaders among others.
The ACHEST Director of Medical Education and Development, Elsie Dr. Kiguli-Malwadde told participants that the overall goal of the project is to end the needless maternal and newborn deaths; and improve the quality of life of the children, adolescents, and women in Uganda as stated in the RMNCAH Sharpened Plan.
The general objective is to work with the health professions associations and regional referral hospitals to provide clinical mentorship so as to ensure that health worker's clinical skills are improved. In the end, this will result in improved quality of health care.
The ACHEST Executive Director Prof. Francis Omaswa gave a detailed presentation on the philosophy and practice of the quality of health care.
He stressed from the onset that that quality is about the pursuit of excellence. “Everything you do can be done even better than you have done today. Make a plan and look at how you will do better today, or next month or next year than you did before,” said Prof. Omaswa
Prof Omaswa who is also the former Head of the Quality Assurance Program and Director General of Health Services in the Ministry of Health Uganda, detailed the history of how the quality assurance programme was established (now a Directorate) and highlighted its achievements.

On August 18, 2021, the ACHEST Executive Director, Prof. Francis Omaswa was invited by the Makerere University College of Health Sciences to virtually give a talk on effective leadership. This arrangement was under the Health Professions Education and Training for Strengthening the Health System and Services in Uganda (HEPI-SHSSU) programme at the College.
More than 100 staff members from the university attended the webinar. Prof. Omaswa inspired them on how to be good leaders, with basic principles such as taking care of themselves, discipline and working for the common good.
Below is the summary of his presentation:

What is leadership?
Leadership is about being an agent of change, a positive contributor to society and it is about common good. Already , all of you are leaders- you already got your university degrees as medical students and nurses. You left behind so many people that you started with in Primary One and all those people look at you as a success story. They look at you as someone to imitate and they look up to you as someone from whom they can learn. So, leadership is about being a role model that others can follow.

Take care of yourself
It starts with you being in the right state physically, mentally, and spiritually. Do you wat well, do you sleep enough, are you clean? Are you at peace? What are these other issues disturbing your mind. What is your moral status? Do you have a moral anchor, a beacon? It starts with you being at peace with yourself. I have seen young people ruin their careers by becoming an alcoholic or a social situation that stops them from achieving other things. For example, having extramarital affairs. With that, you can’t do what is expected of you as a leader

The ACHEST Executive Director Prof. Francis Omaswa has called on stakeholders to support and ensure full implementation of the WHO Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel.
Adopted in 2010 at the 63rd World Health Assembly, the Code seeks to strengthen the understanding and ethical management of international health personnel recruitment through improved data, information, and international cooperation
Prof. Omaswa, who is also the former Executive Director of the Global Health Workforce Alliance explained that the Code would ensure a shared global pool of health workers, in view of the increasing workforce mobility.
However, in order for countries to benefit from this shared pool of health workers, high-quality medical education is essential, Prof. Omaswa observed.
“The need for health professionals to move from country to country is a given. it cannot be stopped. This Code which took us 6 years to develop is a beautiful document for the welfare of the migrants. It provides support to the source countries and recipient countries to receive the services of well-educated and highly motivated health workers. This code is at the center of everything and I would like to call on all of us to get familiar with it, to support it, and to make sure that it is implemented fully,” said Prof. Omaswa

With the rise of artificial intelligence and new digital technologies, Health Professions Education(HPE) should be transformed to adapt to innovations in health care delivery.
This call was made by the ACHEST Director of Health Professions Education and Development, Dr. Elsie Kiguli-Malwadde while addressing a webinar by the Student Network Organization (SNO-Uganda) on August 11, 2021.
Dr. Kiguli-Malwadde, who is also the Secretary-General of the Network Towards Unity for Health(TUFH) noted that so many things had changed over the years, and this needs to be reflected in the education and training of future health professionals.
“Things are not static. The libraries are becoming obsolete and you can fit a small library in your hands. There is transition and we need to move with it. Some of the changes include the availability of multiple sources of data to use make a diagnosis for patients and the interface between medicine and machines at all levels of health care. For example, in Radiology, we are using so many machines ( MRI, CT scan…etc.) and all manner of ways to enhance making a diagnosis for patients. With the availability of smartphones, computers, and the internet, there is a need to change the way we are doing things in Health Professions Education (HPE), “ said Dr. Kiguli-Malwadde.
She also strongly called for interprofessional training, by explaining that the provision of health care is now driven by health care teams, not just one specialty.

“Medicine is changing. As a physician or doctor, you need a team around you to provide holistic care- nurses, physiotherapists etc..” she said, adding, “We need to develop medical scientists and innovators. We should not just be giving students the information. HPE should be encouraging people to be innovators. We should move beyond health sciences and clinical sciences and embrace interprofessional training that goes beyond disciplines.

The ACHEST Executive Director , Prof. Francis Omaswa has urged Rotarians to advocate for Integrated People-Centered Primary Health Care(IPCPHC) as a foundation to achieve Health For All.

He made the remarks on 22 July 2021, while addressing the Rotary Club of Kampala on theProf. Omaswa lobbies Rotarians to support Primary Health Care “Role of citizens in fighting the pandemic; towards a healthier new normal for all.”

Prof. Omaswa, who is also the President Elect of the Rotary Club of Kampala, as well as the Chairperson of the National Community Engagement Sub-Committee for COVID-19 Response in Uganda said it is important for individuals to take personal responsibility to maintain and promote good health.

“ Only 6% of the population are born with congenital or birth defects, but most of us are born normal. Good health is inborn. When the body is short of water, we feel thirsty; when we need food we feel hungry, when it is time to sleep we feel sleepy. The challenge is for us to listen and obey our bodies. Our behavior determines our health outcomes. Maintaining inborne health is the responsibility of the individual. It starts with you and is supported by the health system when necessary,” said Prof. Omaswa

Community based education(CBE) helps young health professionals to appreciate the medical field and at the same time improves access to universal health care, observes Dr. Elsie Kiguli-Malwadde, the ACHEST Director of Medical Education and Development.

Dr. Kiguli-Malwadde, who is also the Secretary General of The Network Towards UnityCommunity-Based Education, Primary Care and Social Accountability for Health(TUFH) said this while delivering a presentation on the importance on CBE during a virtual conference hosted by TUFH in partnership with the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing - Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia.

The conference, under the theme “Community-Based Education, Primary Care and Social Accountability, was held virtually on July 5.2021. It was attended by about 300 participants from Asia, Africa, America, Australia, and Europe. 

Dr. David Okello Director Health Systems-ACHESTThe ACHEST Director of Health Systems and Health Promotion, Dr. David Okello has been appointed to the International Advisory Committee of the World Federation for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

The committee is tasked with overseeing the functioning of the Center of Excellence for Evidence Based Research on NCDS in low-and-middle income countries; and the utilization of the evidence generated through systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

In the course of its work, the committee is expected to bear in mind the international, regional and national priorities with a focus on local engagement. Dr. Okello was appointed to the committee alongside 16 other global health experts. Commenting on this opportunity, Dr. Okello remarked: “the assignment presents excellent opportunity to share knowledge and promote south to south collaboration in promoting the global action needed to stem the silent epidemic of NCDs in low-and middle -income countries”

The African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation(ACHEST) participated at the first World Health Summit (WHS) Africa Regional Meeting held virtually on June 27-June 29 2021.WHS flyer on UHC

The summit was hosted by Makerere University as a member of the global M8 Alliance of Academic Health Centers, Universities and National Academies. in Kampala, Uganda. This is the first time that the WHS has been held on African soil. The Summit was opening ceremony was addressed by President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Dr Tedros , the Director General of WHO.

Topics of discussion included Africa’s progress towards Universal Health Coverage(UHC) and Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), The Health of the African Youth, Advancing Technology for Health in Africa, Infectious Diseases and Global Health Security, COVID-19 pandemic, Stemming the Tide of Non-Communicable Diseases in Low- and Middle-Income Countries and Inter-Sectoral Collaboration for Health, the Global Health Workforce Crisis among others.

On June15, 2021, the African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation(ACHEST) delivered the keynote address at inaugural session of the 2021 Kofi Annan Public Health Leadership Fellowship Programme. Kofi-Annan-Fellowship-In-Public-Health-Leadership-Program-2021

Launched in May 2020 by the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the Kofi Annan Foundation, the Leadership Programme aims to support aspirational public health leaders (Fellows) from Africa in acquiring advanced skills and competencies to strategize, manage and lead programmes that will transform public health in Africa. The programme was established in honour of the late Kofi Annan, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1997 to December 2006.

This year, 20 fellows from 14 African Union member States have been selected to participate in the fellowship over the course of 12 months.
ACHEST was invited to share its expertise with the Fellows, in the areas of leadership, governance, health diplomacy, and human resources for health management of public health initiatives in Africa.

A thorough examination that encourages governments to support rural retention of health worker, is urgently needed, public health experts have recommended.
Speaking at the webinar titled “Preparing the health workforce to engage with communities,” the experts noted that while the community health movement is growing, the challenge that remains is facilitating it with a supported, motivated and skilled health workforce.
The webinar hosted on June 23, 2021 was hosted by the African Forum for Education and Research in Health (AFREhealth) in partnership with the African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation (ACHEST).

The ACHEST Executive Director Prof. Francis Omaswa who was one of the speakers stated: “ The movement on community health is growing. Africa has a health strategy. What is left is those in support of this movement to get together as a  group that is promoting community health, its practice, education and training.”
Prof. Omaswa gave the example of Thailand as one of the countries that has a deliberate programme to attract health workers to work in communities.

webinar flyerOn May 18, 2021, the African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation (ACHEST), participated at the Human Resources for Health 2030 end-of-program event.
HRH 2030 has been USAID’s flagship health workforce program for the last six years
The virtual event under the theme: "Six Years in 60 Minutes: Learning from the HRH2030 Program” was therefore one of the legacy series to share achievements as well as explore the broader picture on global health, including the COVID-19 era and the launch of the new USAID Vision for Health Systems Strengthening.

The panel of experts included ACHEST Executive Director Prof. Francis Omaswa and Dr. Elsie Kiguli-Malwadde, the Director of Medical Education and Development

ACHEST Medical Induction Course
Dr. Kiguli-Malwadde spoke about ACHEST’s induction course which supports newly qualified health professionals to adjust to the working world.
“Medical internship is a transition phase between being medical students and becoming fully qualified medical professionals. It has been reported that this period can be stressful and sometimes it makes the young professionals feel inadequate and uncomfortable. So, we felt that it was important to prepare them for this period,” said Dr. Elsie Kiguli-Malwadde
It should be noted that in 2020, the course received recognition in the HRH 2030 in the health workforce resilience global competition.