From the Daily Monitor Newspaper, Feb 25 2009
Promoting research science in Uganda
There is a shortage of good calibre scientists to work in laboratories, not just in Uganda but in America and Europe too, writes Kakaire Kirunda
Uganda does not have a critical mass of health research scientists to sustain ongoing research or conduct studies that need to be done. As the current crop of scientists ages towards retirement, few younger ones are taking up health research with those interested ending up in the developed world, according to the Director of Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) Dr Edward Katongole Mbidde.
Grooming would-be health research scientists from an early stage is proving to be problematic as well. It emerged at the release of results for last year’s Uganda Certificate of Education examinations that out of 2,159 examination centres, 755 of them did not have the laboratories needed to carry out practical examinations in Chemistry, Biology and Physics. This led to massive failures.
Grooming would-be health research scientists is proving to be problematic as some of the examination centres do not have laboratories needed to carry out practical exams in Chemistry, Biology and Physics. NET PHOTO
But that is not all. There is cause for more worry. Equally, there is a shortage of good calibre scientists to work in most laboratories in America and Europe.
According to Prof. Eli Katunguka, the director of the Makerere University School of Graduate Studies, “these developed countries are looking to Africa to provide because they know African students are hardworking and intelligent. They also know that at the same time, our conditions are not the best.”
Can low income countries such as Uganda compete for health research scientists with rich countries like the US or Britain that pay well and have better research facilities? Is there any hope for a bright future?
Dr Mbidde and Prof. Katunguka are optimistic. This follows a new collaboration between the Uganda Virus Research Institute and Makerere University, which is being funded by a grant from the Welcome Trust. Fulltime collaboration of scientists at the two institutions, sponsoring PhD and post doctoral fellowships in immunology and infection, and strengthening the TB laboratory at the Makerere University Medical School are part of the package.
However, for the potential research scientists at high school and undergraduate level, an annual open day that will be alternating between UVRI and Makerere University has been devised with UVRI slated to host the inaugural one on March 5, 2009. “You too can be a scientist,” is the theme.
“The atmosphere and push for science in this country as you do realise has changed,” says Dr Mbidde. “The momentum from government has really changed. Science is now their top priority and everybody can agree that countries that have developed have reached that far because of science, research and development.”
The open day, according to Dr Mbidde, is targeting students from senior three up to under graduate level together with their science teachers, but policy makers like legislators, politicians and interested members of the general public. “We thought this was an opportune moment for people to come and see what we are planning to do together. We are going to showcase what is being done at UVRI. Some people fear coming here because they think the place is infested with viruses,” he explains.
Prof. Katunguka agrees, saying there also is a false sense of fear that has been instilled in young people that sciences are not easy to pass. “Therefore many of them who want to pass with very little effort avoid sciences. Changing this thinking is one of the purposes of this open day,” says Katunguka. “We want to encourage scientists from both institutions to exhibit what they are doing in the area of infection and immunity. And even in other areas so that we can encourage young people to appreciate the role of science in national development.”
Talking to many young people, according to Prof. Katunguka, it has emerged that science is seen as abstract and is not clearly understood. “But if these senior school students, first and second year university students come to where research is taking place,” he argues, “then they will be in position to interact with these scientists and appreciate much better what they do and the role of science in daily lives.”
With UVRI housing several research organisations such as the Medical Research Council, Rakai Health Sciences Programme and the International Aids Vaccine Initiative among others, visitors stand a chance to witness firsthand how some of the trials there are being conducted.
But all these efforts may come to naught if the underlying problems at the very foundation of building a cadre of scientists are not fixed. While proponents give thumbs up to the government’s decision to prioritise sciences, more needs to be done. “The government needs to do more in the area of building laboratories, equipping them and in the area of training teachers who are competent in teaching science,” says Prof. Katunguka. “That is how the performance will improve. And the same thing can be said about the universities. Labs in the varsities are not the best.”
Friday, March 6, 2009 at 4:50AM 
In the second quarter of the spring 2009 term, Fiona Larkan and Thomas Strong will lead a six week seminar sampling six ethnographies of HIV/AIDS. All are invited to participate. NUI Maynooth students who wish to obtain credit may register for this course as AN622 and must complete one 4,000 word essay. The seminar will focus on close reading of the texts listed [see flier for more details]. For more information email thomas.strong@nuim.ie.;)
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