On August 29, 2024, the Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), in partnership with the Open University in the UK, hosted a workshop focused on understanding the social determinants of malaria in Uganda.
The event brought together a diverse group of participants, including healthcare professionals like nurses, clinical officers, and pharmacists from both the government and private sectors. Public health experts, behavior change specialists, researchers, community development officers, and leaders from religious and local councils also joined the discussions.
Representatives from the Ministry of Health’s Malaria Control Division, Wakiso District Local Government, and various non-governmental organizations contributed their insights, making the workshop a rich platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Malaria continues to be the leading cause of illness and death in Uganda. In 2022, the World Health Organization estimated that the country faced over 12.7 million malaria cases and nearly 17,600 deaths.
To combat this ongoing crisis, we need more effective interventions that can control the disease and save lives. This means prioritizing research and engaging with various stakeholders to identify gaps and develop targeted solutions.
Dr. David Musoke and Ms. Edwinah Atusingwize from MakSPH, along with Dr. Kevin Deane from the Open University, conducted a study focusing on the social factors that contribute to malaria in the country. Their research emphasised the importance of bringing together various stakeholders, including those from Wakiso District and the Ministry of Health, for a collaborative workshop to better understand and tackle the challenges surrounding malaria in the communities.
Mr. Ali Halage from MakSPH opened the workshop by warmly welcoming the stakeholders and encouraging their active participation to ensure the objectives were met. Following his remarks, Dr. Musoke provided background on the study and the partnership between Makerere University and the Open University.
“The partnership began a few years ago when Dr. Kevin Deane, a senior lecturer at the Open University, visited Uganda. We discussed various public health topics, including malaria. This conversation led to a scoping review on malaria prevention and, ultimately, the research on the social determinants of malaria that we're addressing in this workshop,” Dr. Musoke shared.
Ms. Atusingwize shared the study's findings, after which participants were organized into groups to discuss the main social determinants of malaria in Uganda, the challenges in addressing these issues, the opportunities available, and recommendations for moving forward.
From these discussions, poverty emerged as the primary social determinant and the biggest challenge in tackling other barriers to malaria control. The groups also emphasized the importance of considering gender roles in malaria prevention. “Men play a significant role in taking children to hospitals because they often provide the financial resources. Women, on the other hand, are usually with the children and are often the first to notice when a child is unwell,” they highlighted.
One participant highlighted the importance of ongoing health education on malaria prevention within communities, as well as the need for capacity building among healthcare providers, including community health workers. The stakeholders also stressed that a multi-sectoral approach and further research are essential in-depth evidence on the social determinants of malaria, their impacts, and effective strategies for addressing them.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Kevin Deane from the Open University warmly thanked everyone for making the time to attend the workshop. He expressed his enthusiasm for continuing to work together with MakSPH, aiming to transform the current research into a long-term project that can make a real difference.
Dr. Catherine M. Sebuguzi from the National Malaria Control Division at the Ministry of Health delivered the final remarks at the workshop. She expressed her gratitude to MakSPH and the Open University for organizing the event. While acknowledging the existence of numerous guidelines and policies on malaria, she pointed out that implementation remains low and stressed the need for researchers to foster more dialogue with policymakers and implementers.
“We have failed to get the community to engage as we need them to. We require more information at both the community and ministry levels, so I invite you to join us in these discussions,” Dr. Sebuguzi emphasized. She concluded by thanking all participants and encouraging their ongoing commitment to malaria control in the country. This research was supported by internal funding from the Open University.
By Jennifer Nantongo
