UPHIA 2024–2025 Training Kicks Off as Uganda Moves to Locally-Led HIV Survey

Kampala, Uganda— On May 19, 2025, the Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) hosted the kickoff training for teams tasked with collecting data for the Uganda Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment (UPHIA) 2024-2025. This critical national survey aims to assess the effectiveness of HIV prevention, care, and treatment services across Uganda.

The UPHIA survey, commissioned by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and supported by Makerere University and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC), seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current HIV epidemic in Uganda.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Patrick Twesigye, an AIDS Control Program Officer at the Ministry of Health, stressed that

“UPHIA is a very important exercise for the AIDS Control Program at the Ministry because it gives us the information we use to come up with a strategic direction for the AIDS interventions that we are implementing.”

In a landscape where funding for HIV programs is dwindling and donor fatigue is prevalent, the need for accurate data has never been more pressing. “We still have a significant number of new HIV infections, and as a program, we are deeply concerned,” Dr. Twesigye noted. He emphasized that the survey will help identify the challenges the country faces in achieving epidemic control, adding, “We have hope that this round of UPHIA will give us some of the answers.”

The UPHIA 2024-2025 aims to visit 6,000 randomly selected nationally representative households in Uganda, an exercise led by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS). This process intends to reach at least 15,000 participants 15 years or older. The participants will undergo face-to-face interviews, and blood samples will be collected to assess viral suppression levels and other health indicators.

Dr. Herbert Kiyingi, a Medical Epidemiologist from the U.S. CDC, stressed the importance of quality data, stating, “Poor quality data is a waste of resources. It means we will not be able to use that data to do what we need it to do.”

Dr. Kiyingi, who is also CDC’s head of surveys and surveillance teams, noted that although the survey is ‘time-bound,’ the research teams need to do the work ethically without compromising the standards of the work we are doing. “I pray that we are able to fit this into the limited time available while still maintaining the quality of the final survey output,” he said.

UPHIA 2024-2025 is the fifth survey in Uganda since the 2005 AIDS Indicator Surveys. The second national survey was conducted in 2011 and later in 2016, when the name changed to Population based HIV Impact Assessment Surveys (PHIAs). The fourth and last survey was conducted in 2020, and now this one in 2024–2025.

Experts note that this new round of surveys is unique since it is the first that is executed by local implementing partners. It also introduces new measurement indices to capture emerging health concerns, particularly the growing burden of Non-Communicable Diseases.

Dr. Kiyingi affirms that this new approach reflects the strong local capacity that the Government of Uganda, together with the CDC and implementing partners, has built over the years. He expresses hope that this marks the beginning of many future surveys to be led and implemented by local partners

The three and a half weeks of training will equip selected personnel with the necessary skills to conduct the survey effectively. Ms. Annet Musinguzi, the Ministry of Health’s Commissioner of Human Resource Management, urged participants to take the training seriously, noting, “This is still an assessment process. If you miss sessions, the outcome of this exercise will determine who continues with us.”

Ms. Musinguzi noted that the response was overwhelming, with about 18 applicants for each slot. Those not selected remain in the reserve pool and may be called upon if any of the chosen candidates withdraw. The UPHIA 2024–2025 survey attracted 6,473 applicants across various roles. For 96 counselor positions, 864 applied; 55 satellite lab technicians were selected from 884 applicants, 70 field lab technicians from 638, and 144 interviewers from 4,486 applications.

With just 365 individuals selected from over 6,000 applicants, the competitive nature of the selection process underscores the importance of their roles. “You are our ambassadors, representing the Ministry of Health,” Ms. Musinguzi reminded the participants, stressing the weight of their responsibilities.

She also urged the trainees on absenteeism and ethics: “We expect you to be people of high moral integrity. This means doing your assigned work and doing it well. You need to uphold high ethical values to guide your performance. Stick to what you are supposed to do so that we do not receive adverse reports.”

For her part, Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze, the Dean, Makerere University School of Public Health expressed excitement about the survey’s upcoming launch, stating, ‘it allows us to evaluate the progress made from our longstanding investments in HIV programming in Uganda.’ She pointed out the need for high-quality data to inform future interventions and reinforce impact in enhancing national capacity and sustainability.

“Sustaining HIV programming remains a critical concern. Few public health interventions have received the level and duration of funding that HIV has enjoyed globally. Institutions that were at the forefront of the response have now dedicated over three decades to this effort. It has been a long and impactful journey, one that now calls for reflection on our current position and the path forward,” she said.

According to Prof. Wanyenze, the results will not only assess the coverage and impact of HIV services but also measure associated risk behaviors affecting the population.

She urged researchers and data collection teams on integrity and human-centered approaches to engagement of the population.

“We cannot afford to mishandle a survey of this magnitude. You won’t hear horror stories if we do it right, but there’s so much at stake. Not just for us as researchers and implementers, but for all of you in the field. You are representing all of us, the School, the Ministry of Health. You wear that badge on behalf of the entire nation.

So, let’s do a good job—and above all, let us respect the people who give us their data. It is a privilege when someone trusts you enough to share deeply personal information, some things they may have never told anyone before. Let us honour that trust. Respect them. Serve them. And do the work with excellence,” she said.

The collaboration between the Ministry of Health, Makerere University, and the CDC signals a robust commitment to tackling the ongoing challenges posed by HIV in Uganda. Over the years, the investments have seen thousands of nationals trained and equipped with critical skills to manage and respond to public health issues, thanks to the U.S. CDC and several other development partners.

The MakSPH Dean praised the U.S. CDC for promoting a sustainability agenda by enhancing Uganda’s national capacity in laboratory work, public health research, and programming and policy development.  

“We thank you, CDC, for standing with us. After 20 years, we now have a fully Ugandan-led and executed national survey. That means a lot to us. And it is only the beginning. At the School of Public Health, we have led numerous surveys over the past 13 years—on HIV surveillance, NCDs (like the STEPS surveys with the Ministry of Health), and more. I daresay we have become a home for surveys. Whatever the future holds, we are committed to continued partnership and excellence in research.” Prof. Wanyenze averred.

With the training now underway, all eyes are on the teams as they prepare to gather essential data that will shape the country’s response to the HIV epidemic.

By Davidson Ndyabahika

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