AT THE AFROHUN -UGANDA SYMPOSIUM, 2024
AFROHUN – Uganda recently organized a One Health Symposium aimed to mark the climax of one health initiatives, transformative activities implemented at national and sub national level. The symposium was combined with the 18th Joint Annual Scientific Health Conference (JASHC), 8th Uganda Medical Association General Doctors Conference (UMA GDC), and Annual General Meeting (AGM), 30th UNACOH Conference, and 22nd Dr. Mathew Lukwiya Memorial Lecture held on the 16-18th October 2024, at Hotel Africana, Kampala, Uganda. The conference theme “Global Health Security: Partnerships for Epidemic Response and Control in Sub-Saharan Africa,” captures the center of AFROHUN efforts at various levels.
Different beneficiaries of the AFROHUN – Transition award multidisciplinary action research (TAMAR) and Transition Award Professional Development (TAPROD) awards were identified as resource persons at this symposium. The TAPROD program, through OH action research and multidisciplinary immersive fellowship and internship experiences, engages selected university faculty and students to generate innovative One Health solutions to the gaps and needs of their host institutions that align with the respective National Action Plan for Health Security in the nine AFROHUN member countries. TAMAR is a research program that awards one health action research small grants on zoonotic disease which can be competed for in multidisciplinary teams of faculty and students.
These fellows and interns were invited to share briefs about their stories which they wanted to showcase during the symposium, and this formed the basis of selecting some of the oral and poster presentations. The stories, besides the theme/title, highlighted why they thought that it is important to share with a wide audience, and how it contributed/ aligned with global health security.
One of the TAPROD fellows, Dr. Dickson Tayebwa, a veterinary officer and faculty from The College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-security at Makerere University (COVAB) focused his presented on understanding the management and control of Rabies in the Era One Health and student engagement and field experiential learning. Dr. Dickson was attached at the regional Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital in 2023, where together with 2 interns, they conducted research on rabies’ control in Eastern region of Uganda (In particular, Mbale and Tororo districts).
Figure 1: Dr. Dickson starting his presentation at the One Health symposium at Serena Hotel-Uganda
Besides his fellowship, he shared about his involvement in ‘the field experiential learning’ where when he led some undergraduate students supported by AFROHUN to participate in a pet vaccination exercise in Busia district, Uganda in July 2024 when the district reported so many dog bites.
Eleven students were sent in by AFROHUN, and within three days, we were able to vaccinate over 360 pets against rabies. Students in Busia did not only vaccinate pets but also engaged communities and did community sensitization as well engaging stakeholders to be able to mobilize for more support,’ Dr. Dickson noted.
Dr. James Muleme, another TAPROD fellow, 2024 at Makerere University who together with two interns were placed at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) shared their research IN Mubende district within communities most affected by Ebola in Uganda. His presentation ‘Understanding Ebola outbreak dynamics: Lessons from Past Experiences and Recommendations for Ebola virus outbreak Prevention’, highlighted the need for different disciplines such as communication expertise in efforts to control Ebola. Acknowledging the importance of medical professionals, they also emphasized the need to strengthen the communication component during response and management of disease outbreaks.
‘There is need to also strengthen health communication. Communication is important because it will raise awareness about health issues, motivate people to change unhealthy behavior, providing essential information about the disease prevention strategy and treatment option’ He recommended.
Abel Wilson Walekhwa, a 2023 TAMAR beneficiary in his presentation titled ‘Infectious diseases outbreaks preparedness: The power of field simulations’ shared his experience regarding assembling and working with a multidisciplinary to conduct a field-based simulation of Anthrax response; and a health education intervention in Namisindwa district in Eastern Uganda. Talking about the power of AFROHON TA initiatives both at country, global and individual levels, he also noted how this implementation of a simulation project had already positively impacted his career growth. He noted that;
After this execution of this project coupled with other one health achievements, I have made under AFROHUN since 2014, I made a case in my application and pointed fingers at this study that made me get appointed at the highest influential global position as one Health High Level Expert (OHHLEP). (https://www.who.int/about/people/biography/abel-wilson-walekhwa).
Figure 2: Photos showing sampling preparation and collection during the anthrax simulation exercise in Namisindwa district
Several other Prevention, preparedness, and response efforts undertaken by AFROHUN supported by the Transition Award over the previous two years were showcased. These included presentations and discussions on the Rabies Situation analysis and needs assessment findings for the Transboundary Regional RCCE course; Hostage of AFROHUN TAPROD interns and faculty fellows at the Mbarara Regional Veterinary Laboratory focusing on the Lessons learnt and collaborations established as shared by Dr. Andrew Akashaba (the institutional host for the TAPROD fellows and interns from Mbarara University of Science and Technology); and Shared Experience of working with Mbale regional Emergency Operations Centre during preparedness and response to zoonotic disease outbreaks. During the conference, AFROHUN – Uganda One health institute and its contribution to building workforce and Global health Security from 2016 to date was also highlighted.
Another important highlight at the conference was the keynote Address by Prof. William Bazeyo, the CEO of AFROHUN. He focused on the AFROHUN’s 15 Years of driving One Health and global health security forward, talking about the AFROHUN’s move from vision to reality which sparked further discussions into the future of one health role in disease outbreak control in Africa and beyond.
Figure 3: Prof. William Bazeyo giving a keynote address on 15 years of AFROHUN