Makerere University has appointed Dr. Suzanne N. Kiwanuka as the new head of the Department of Health Policy Planning and Management (HPPM). Dr. Suzanne Kiwanuka takes over from Dr. Elizabeth Ekirapa Kiracho who has been the head since July 2018.
The handover ceremony took place on Friday September 23rd at Makerere School of Public Health (MakSPH) teleconferencing room. Dr. Rhoda Wanyenze, Professor and Dean, MakSPH and Mr. Amos Ashaba Dembe, the Internal Auditor MakSPH represented management at the event.
During her tenure, Dr. Ekirapa noted that the department has grown in leaps and bounds with capacity to generate more research evidence with increased scientific, peer-reviewed publications, growth in the number of projects to a tune of about 39 active projects currently, among others. According to Ekirapa, a total of (09) nine PhD students graduated over the past four years while three Makerere faculty joined the department.
According to Dr. Ekirapa, HPPM has only 10 Makerere appointed staff including three (03) Associate Professors, (03) Senior lecturers, (02) Lecturers and (02) Assistant lecturers), 18 research fellows, one Manager and one volunteer Administrative staff and two drivers.
She appealed to the department to continue lobbying for more staff and advocating for a research track that can provide the research fellows permanent affiliation with the University.
“The issue of more staff is an area where we continue to lobby and the Dean has been very supportive. The Dean has initiated some collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) you find from time to time there is work to be done but there are no people to do it. At times you find that there is work at the department and always the same names would be coming up”.
Dr. Ekirapa also underscored the need to continuously build systems that support the institution such as support systems for supervision of undergraduate and post graduate students and embracing technology as well as promoting the visibility of the department
While accepting the responsibility to head the unit, Dr. Kiwanuka said was grateful to staff for entrusting her with leadership. She pledged to work towards restoring a culture of having respect for colleagues and the students and upholding professionalism.
“I want us to bring back this culture of being there for the students but also being there as staff and developing each other. Once we are good and we are branded and we are quality producers, the money will definitely come,” said Dr. Kiwanuka.
“I am honored to be taking up leadership and am looking forward to working with a crew and I hope we shall all be steering in the same direction. We need to be very selective about the people we are bringing on board. I look forward to working with you all. Thank you very much Elizabeth for your great service. It is good to reflect on a strong foundation not just for HPPM but for the school as a whole,” she added.
Dr. Kiwanuka hailed the School management for instituting systems on which the School is being run and pledged to continue upholding professional and institutional systems. The noted the school has grown stronger networks with exceptional staff citing the need to rebrand and improve visibility.
She also hinted on the need to increase staff citing that the increasing number of students out to be commensurate with the number of faculty.
“We need to appreciate our staff and let them know that they are adding a lot more value than just earning a salary. We have people who are retiring soon, and when we are looking at a forest that is being cut down with no trees to replace them then we have a very challenging situation on our hands, therefore, we need to grow intentionally in terms of staffing, in terms of teaching etc,” Dr. Kiwanuka observed.
Dr. Suzanne Kiwanuka joined MakSPH in October 2006 as a Research Fellow. She was appointed in 2008 as Lecturer. She is a Senior Lecturer and a Knowledge Translation & Engagement Expert.
Prof. Wanyenze said the School aspires to maintain a culture of peaceful and smooth transfer of leadership. She thanked Dr. Ekirapa for her work and contribution to the Department and School.
“This is an opportunity to appreciate you but it is also an opportunity to welcome and appreciate Suzanne. Leadership is not about titles but it is about service. There people who don’t want to be leaders because they fear to bring in their resources, to bring in their money. Suzanne thank you for accepting to be a leader,” said Prof. Wanyenze.
Prof. Wanyenze thanked Dr. Ekirapa for her resilience and great contribution to the growth of the School and pledged to work with her successor.
“There has been a lot of progress under Elizabeth for the last 4 years. I also want to remind Elizabeth that handing over does not mean that you should disappear because several people hand over and disappear whereas others just become detractors to their successors. We are here not for us but for the School and Uganda as a whole and I am ready to support Suzanne in any way to enable her accomplish her duties and responsibilities accordingly,” Prof. Wanyenze said.
Mr. Amos Dembe Ashaba, the Internal Auditor, MakSPH stressed that handing over is extremely important and that it ensures smooth transition and continuity.
“The appropriate management of resources is key to leadership and being part of management puts you at the center of whatever should happen and therefore, I would like appreciate the outgoing team for a job that was well done. I am also so much expectant of the incoming team led by Dr. Suzanne and I know that you are capable of doing a very good job,” Mr. Ashaba said.
Dr. Ekirapa handed over gifts to the Dean, the new Head of Department and the Administrator Ms. Josephine Adikini for the support rendered to her in her term of office.
To Dr. Suzanne Kiwanuka; “I remember when I was taking over, my predecessor told me that as a Chair I needed to work harder. He also told me that we are the salt of the world and salt becomes useless when it loses its saltiness. So, remember that you are salt and when they try to tempt you, please do not back down. I also have some chocolate to enable you do your work with that bright smile that it comes with and then last is a leather bag. Leather you know is known for its strength and resilience and I know that you are a strong and resilient person”.
To the Dean; “This one is a leather bag and one of the things that leather is known for is that it is strong and hard. Please receive this bag as a token for you to remain strong and hard when executing your duties though there are times when certain things have to be handled in a soft and loving manner”.
In attendance was Dr. Joan Nankya Mutyoba, the head, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dr. Justine Bukenya, the Acting Head, Community Health and Behavioral Sciences department and CPA Elizabeth N. Nambi, the head of Finance. Also, in attendance was Ms. Adikini Josephine, the HPPM department administrator as well as Ms. Faridah Mbambu, the Administrator in charge of Human Resources of MakSPH.
By Jimmy Moses Olara & Davidson Ndyabahika
