ONGOING STUDY:

IDEA Fellowship

IDEA Fellowship

Consortium for Development of Sustainable Research Based Fellowship Training on Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Biostatistics in Africa

About the Fellowship

In Uganda, advancement in field epidemiology lags behind evidence-based public health action on outbreaks and surveillance of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.
The current non-degree awarding, non-career training programmes in general field epidemiology in Uganda fall short of the WHO International Health Regulations standards. Through a consortium approach, the IDEA Fellowship Programme has involved key stakeholders to implement the first national infectious disease field epidemiology Master’s programme. The consortium led by Busitema University has eight partners: Uganda National Public Health Institute; Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation; Uganda National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services; Uganda Virus Research Institute, Mbale Clinical Research Institute; Infectious Diseases Institute; and The Open University as a northern partner.

The overarching objective of the IDEA Fellowship programme is to train the next generation of infectious disease field epidemiologists in conducting disease surveillance, outbreak investigations and timely response, and translating data into evidence-based practice in Uganda. Ten African early-to-mid-career scientists will be trained through a comprehensive, practical, hands-on Master’s in Science training in infectious disease epidemiology.

Project Summary

Coordinator

Prof. Peter Olupot-Olupot, Busitema University, Uganda

Consortium Partners

  • The Open University United Kingdom
  • Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI)
  • Mbale Clinical Research Institute (MCRI)
  • Makerere University – Infectious Disease Institute
  • Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation
  • Uganda National Institute of Public Health (UNIPH)
  • Ministry of Health and Uganda National Health Laboratory & Diagnostic Services.

Consortium Partners

  • CSA2020E-3126

Links

Meet the The Fellows

Intial Cohort

Of the initial cohort of 15 IDEA fellows listed below, 13 are continuing and 2 declined. The two are being replaced.

Jimmy Patrick Alunyo

Public Health Specialist

Mr Alunyo Jimmy Patrick is a Public health Specialist, a holder of BDVS and MPH.He has 7 years of experience in public health research and social science research.
He is also a part-time research assistant for the Carter Centre Uganda and a Ministry of Health UNEPI research assistant.

Sedney Nsubuga

Clinician & Public Health Specialist

Sydney believes that all mankind’s problems are within our resolute effort. He is energized by the amazing work and potential of the global network of scientists. As a women rights advocate, Sydney believes that the world would greatly be transformed if every one of us understood the stake women hold in the development space.

Deborah Aujo

Epidemiologist

Deborah Aujo is currently an epidemiologist working with the Ministry of Health in collaboration with Uganda Health System Strengthening Activity. She hold a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Laboratory Technology, a postgraduate diploma in Project Planning and Management (UMI) and she completed a Master of Public Health from Makerere University

Patience Birungi

Finance Officer

Patience was the PI of a study; Retention-In-Care and Associated factors among Adolescents Aged 10-19 Years Living with Sickle-cell Disease in Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala-Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Mathias Ngobi Bogere

Public Health Specialist

Mathias Ngobi Bogere is a Public Health Specialist with over 18 years of experience in HIV/TB Care and Prevention. Currently, Mathias works as the Covid-19 Surveillance Advisor in Ankole region for USAID Local Partner Health Services under TASO Uganda Limited.

Micheal Mandeje

Principal Clinical Officer

Michael is currently working with Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital as a Principal Clinical Officer and Head of Department of the Outpatient Department.

Godfrey Opolot

Environmental Health Worker

Godfrey is a holder of a Masters in Epidemiology and Health Statistics from Zhengzhou University-China. He is also a graduate from the Frontline Field Epidemiology Fellowship Program.

Grace Nabaggala Ssanyu

Epidemologist

Grace is  a clinical epidemiologist and biostatistician at the Department of Dentistry at Makerere College of Health Sciences. She joined the department in 2017 and has been part of the research team. She has been involved in several research projects across a wide range of areas within Dentistry.

George Paasi

Trial Medical Officer

George has over 7 years of experience as a clinical trials research scientist. He has been the first Trial Medical Officer (TMO) and is currently a clinical trial lead, a lead position for trial clinical teams at Mbale Clinical Research Institute (MCRI).

Joseph Oposhia

Environmental Health Officer

Joseph has experience in disease surveillance, water quality monitoring, conducting research studies, Mentorship on DHIS, report writing and data management, and supervisor for LQAS with a Master’s Degree in public health.

Akello Sarah Racheal

Public Health Specialist

Rachael, a seasoned professional with 13 years in social work, administration, research, and community engagement, believes that coming from a social work background is instrumental in unraveling the origins and resolutions of public health threats. 

William Okiror

Medical Officer

William holds MBCh.B with 8 years of clinical practice. He is registered by the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council (UMDPC) is a member of the Uganda Medical Association (UMA) and UMA SACCO.

Charles Benard Okalebo

Pharmacist

Charles is a determined researcher with an interest in furthering a career in research epidemiology, statistics, and pharmacovigilance. His training as a pharmacist and public health specialist and work environment as a quality assurance officer have offered him vast experience in clinical research.

Omoding Michael Adengo

Public Health Specialist

Michael is a public health specialist committed to conducting research and developing public health programmes that directly improve the health of people living in developing countries. Michael holds MPH and PgD Monitoring and Evaluation. He is currently the head of program at mothers2mothers Uganda.

James Eudu

Public Health Specialist

James is a public health specialist with a DMLT, MBChB and MPH. James is currently working as Ag. DHO Kapelebyong DLG. His experience working with patients and now as an administrator coupled with his training background drives him to public health research to an evidence-based approach to solve health problems and achieve SDG 3.

Fellows Opted Out

Edity Namyalo

Laboratory Technologist

Edity is an upcoming researcher and a laboratory technologist by profession, aged 33 years. She is currently working as a Laboratory Technologist with AAR Healthcare, Uganda and also part-timing as a research assistant. She holds a Master’s degree in International Infectious Disease Management and a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Laboratory Technology.

Marble Nasasira

Pharmacist

Marble is a registered pharmacist, epidemiologist and biostatistician who aspires to be a leading researcher working with an interdisciplinary team and communities to contribute to cutting-age solutions to health care problems across Africa.

Joseph Baluku

Internal Medicine Physician

Joseph has a passion for infectious diseases and their interaction with non-communicable diseases with 9 years’ experience in tuberculosis and HIV diagnosis, management and prevention acquired from working at the national tuberculosis treatment center and KNRH.

Allen Namala

Laboratory Technologist

Allen is a Laboratory technologist with a Master’s of science degree in international Infectious degree. She is passionate about infectious disease surveillance, prevention and control. She’s also worked with the COVID-19 response team, as a laboratory technologist in Tororo Mobile COVID-19 testing Laboratory supervised by Central Public Health Laboratory.

IDEA Fellowship Program

IDEA Fellowship Program is one of the Fellowship programs implemented by Busitema University.
Click here for more details on how to apply.

Click here

Documents and Publications

Gallery

A pictorial profile of IDEA Fellowship project activities

Latest Updates

Busitema University and Mbale Clinical Research Institute Lead Study on the Association between Malaria and Climate Change in Eastern and North-Eastern Uganda.
Click here

About

Denis Amorut serves as the Study Site Coordinator at the Mbale Clinical Research Institute’s Soroti Site. He is a qualified Registered Nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Health Services Management from the Islamic University in Uganda and a Diploma in Comprehensive Nursing from Soroti School of Registered Comprehensive Nursing. Additionally, he is currently pursuing an Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Research & Quality Assurance at James Lind Institute, showcasing his commitment to advancing his expertise in clinical research. Denis has an extensive professional background with 12 years in clinical nursing practice and 11 years dedicated to clinical research. He is registered with the Uganda Midwives and Nurses Council, highlighting his professional standing in the healthcare sector.
 
Throughout his career, Denis has held significant positions such as Trial Manager since November 2021 and previously as Study Site Coordinator at Soroti Regional Referral and Teaching Hospital from 2008 to October 2021. He also serves as a member of the Medicine and Therapeutic Committee at the same hospital since 2018. Denis has enriched his knowledge and skills through numerous online courses and certifications in areas like research ethics, data management for clinical studies, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and managing health emergencies like Covid-19. His involvement in various research studies, including the TRACT study, and his roles in hospital committees further demonstrate his dedication to both practice and research in healthcare, focusing on improving patient care through evidence-based practices.

About

Ms. Linda Isabirye serves as the Public and Community Engagement Officer at MCRI, where her role encompasses a variety of tasks aimed at enhancing the Institute’s interaction with both internal and external communities. Her work is divided into two primary focuses: public engagement, where she communicates the Institute’s research and ideas to the public, and community engagement, where she assists others in conducting research and achieving their objectives.

In her community engagement efforts, Linda is involved in developing and sustaining a public engagement and involvement framework for the research program. She identifies local opportunities for community collaboration, nurturing relationships with MCRI’s research scientists, staff, and the broader community.

With over two years of experience, she has worked extensively with diverse community stakeholders. Her responsibilities include coordinating activities for the Community Advisory Board (CAB), designing, and overseeing the execution of Community Engagement (CE) initiatives. These initiatives are crucial for identifying, recruiting, and retaining volunteers, engaging community leadership, and supporting the formation and operation of community peer groups. This includes working with study participants, family support groups, and youth and adolescent groups, among others.

About

Rita Muhindo holds a MSc. Molecular Biology from Staffordshire University, UK. She attained her BSc. Biomedical Laboratory Science and Technology degree from Makerere University and an Advanced Diploma in Health Services Management from Islamic University in Uganda. She joined Mbale Clinical Research Institute in July 2011 as a laboratory technologist participating in setting up various laboratory assays for all clinical trials at the MCRI.

She is currently the laboratory manager of MCRI, a role which involves supervision all laboratory research activities at MCRI main and satellite laboratories. She has over twelve years of experience in managing laboratory clinical research and diagnostics service delivery across several key disciplines including molecular, immunology, hematology, microbiology and clinical chemistry.

She has keen interest in understanding the prevalence of red cell polymorphisms present in Ugandan donor populations. Her main focus of her MSc project was on the prevalence of Glucose-6-Phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, α-thalassaemia and Haemoglobin S among Ugandan donors. Rita is also keen to explore the effects of these polymorphisms on the resolution of severe anaemia.

About

Dr. Charles Benard Okalebo is a highly qualified professional with a B. Pharm, an MPH, and currently a fellow in Infectious Disease and Field Epidemiology under the EDCTP-funded IDEA fellowship. His background as a pharmacist and public health specialist, combined with his role as a Quality Assurance Officer, has provided him with extensive experience in clinical research. This diverse training has honed his skills in assessing healthcare gaps, identifying problems, and designing projects to address these deficiencies. Dr. Okalebo values accuracy, integrity, quality, and career growth above all.
 
He is an experienced and determined professional in conducting clinical trials for both infectious and non-infectious diseases. With eight years in the research field, he has served as a Pharmacist and Quality Assurance Officer at the Mbale Clinical Research Institute, focusing on various types of clinical trials related to infectious diseases. His involvement spans across all phases of clinical trials (I-III), including protocol design, review, and implementation; navigating regulatory approval processes; managing investigational medicinal products (IMP); monitoring studies; establishing and implementing Quality Management processes; pharmacovigilance; and leading training sessions on the ethical conduct of research. The trials he has participated in include TRACT (ISRCTN84086586), GASTROSAM (ISRCTN76149273), PAC (ISRCTN11594437), FLACSAM (ISRCTN18051843), MIMBLE (ISRCTN10309022), and TABS (ISRCTN49726849) studies.
 
Dr. Okalebo is a dedicated researcher with a keen interest in advancing his career in pharmaco-epidemiology, statistics, and pharmacovigilance.

About

Felix Opio joined the Mbale Clinical Research Institute (MCRI) in April 2014 as Data Manager under the REACH (Realizing Effectiveness Across Continents with Hydroxyurea) ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01966731) which is a prospective, Phase I/II open-label trial of hydroxyurea designed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, long-term risks and benefits of hydroxyurea treatment for children with SCA in four sub-Saharan African countries (Mable Uganda,Kilifi Kenya, Luanda Angola and Kinshasa DRC).

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Gulu University, a post graduate diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation from Uganda Management Institute (UMI), Certificate in Project Management Professional from Devimpact Institute Kenya and various other certification in Clinical database development.

He Has 9 years of experience in Clinical Database design and Management, He is Currently overseeing data management work for the REACH study and all the day to day activities of the Project, He is also a member of the internal Clinical Trial Monitoring Unit and A chairperson Procurement Committee for Mbale Clinical Research Institute.

About

Ebitu Caleb Daniel serves as an I.T Support Officer at the Mbale Clinical Research Institute. He is recognized as an accomplished network and systems administrator, who takes pleasure in applying his skills to support and contribute to the technological advancement of research within the institution.
 
Ebitu graduated from Uganda Christian University Mukono with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Over the years, he has also acquired various certifications including CCNA, Information Security, Google Cloud Developer, PMP (Telecom), and Federated Identity Management.

About

Laban has accumulated over four years of experience in managing research financial processes since joining the Mbale Clinical Research Institute on July 1, 2019, as an Accounts Assistant. This experience complements his extensive background of over ten years in the banking sector, where he has previously worked for two banks in roles involving people management, cash management, internal controls, and accountability.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Studies, specializing in Accounting, from the Islamic University of Uganda. He is currently pursuing a Certificate of Public Accountants (CPA) from the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU), with only two papers remaining to complete the course.

Driven by an ambition to advance his career in accounting and expand his experience in research-related accounting managed by well-established systems and processes, he believes that MCRI is the ideal place for his professional growth.