Dr. Victoria Nankabirwa

Dr. Victoria Nankabirwa (MBChB, MPH, PhD) is an epidemiologist with a medical background specializing in maternal and child health. Through collaborations with teams across sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and the U.S., and with support from organizations like Makerere University School of Public Health, CISMAC, the Research Council of Norway, EDCTP, NIH, Globvac, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and WHO, she has contributed to studies that seek to improve maternal and childhood health outcomes. With a strong commitment to public health, Dr. Nankabirwa has lectured at leading global universities in Africa, Asia, Europe, and USA. She has co-authored over 80 original scientific articles and has shared her work in various settings across several continents. Dr. Nankabirwa is a reviewer for numerous scientific journals and has served on WHO’s Immunization and vaccines-related implementation research advisory committee (IVIR-AC). Her work remains focused on practical and culturally sensitive approaches to improve health outcomes for mothers and children. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to science, she has been inducted as a fellow of the Uganda National Academy of Science. Dr. Victoria Nankabirwa’s impactful contributions to science span diverse health disciplines. Her notable work includes:

1. Demonstration of the efficacy of 4% chlorhexidine for severe newborn infections in Uganda. In a recently concluded large, individually randomized controlled trial, Dr. Nankabirwa and colleagues showed, for the first time in Uganda, that a single application of 4% chlorhexidine to cleanse umbilical cord stumps of newborns greatly reduced the occurrence of life-threatening newborn infections.
2. The relationship between HIV exposure during pregnancy and sudden infant death: This novel finding from a cohort study of nearly 10,000 Ugandan infants followed up from birth to one year of age will shape interventions aimed at reducing the unacceptably high mortality among HIV exposed but uninfected infants
3. Establishment of an electronic antenatal care registry in government health center IIs & IIIs in Mukono district to improve the quality of antenatal care and contribute to the reduction of maternal and perinatal mortality
4. An investigation and description of the sero-epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women and their infants, contributing data to the global understanding of the immune response to the virus among pregnant women and newborns.
5. Studies on the bacteriological profile of newborn infections, their frequency, and risk factors.
6. Contribution to the understanding of breastfeeding practices in Africa, exploring barriers, facilitators, and interventions to promote exclusive breastfeeding. This work highlighted the importance of peer support programs in improving breastfeeding practices and the effect of these programs on growth patterns and neuropsychological outcomes.
7. Contribution to evidence on various aspects of vaccination and their impact on child survival, exploring factors such as maternal education, timing of BCG vaccination, and the relationship between vaccination coverage and age-appropriate vaccination.
8. Provision of a model to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes through demonstration that a comprehensive intervention package, including peer support, mama kits, and SMS messaging, increases health facility births.
9. Development of newborn weight nomograms for Uganda, providing essential tools for early identification of at-risk infants, and facilitating timely interventions.
10. Demonstration that zinc supplementation may significantly reduce the case fatality rate in children suffering from severe pneumonia.
11. An in-depth investigation of perinatal deaths, their frequency, associated risk factors, and relationship to maternal depression, as well as an exploration of the cultural beliefs and practices around them, informing culturally sensitive approaches to support grieving families.