During the recent trip to the United Kingdom 4^th – 23^rd June 2024, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi visited the Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford (SCIO) Centre at the University of Oxford, to explore opportunities for joint collaboration. SCIO centre is run by the US-based Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), of which Uganda Christian University (UCU) is an international affiliate member. The centre runs semester-long and summer study abroad programmes for students from Christian Universities and Colleges. Prof. Mushengyezi held discussions with Dr. Stanley Rosenberg (the CEO of SCIO) and Dr. Ana-Maria Pascal (the Academic Director). SCIO committed (subject to funding availability) to host UCU faculty-led visits for students; receive students for a one-month summer programme; and academic visits by UCU scholars who wish to do research at the University of Oxford.

Prof. Mushengyezi and his wife Maama Patience with the SCIO Executive Director, Dr. Stanley Rosenberg and his wife Joy

Meeting with Dr. Ana-Maria Pascal, SCIO Oxford Academic Director

Partnership with ANCC

The Vice Chancellor also visited All Nations Christian College (ANCC) in Easneye, Hertfordshire, England. ANCC is a non-denominational, evangelical theological college in the United Kingdom that has remained true to biblical teaching. The Vice Chancellor held discussions with the Acting College Principal, Rev. Dr V. J. Samkutty, with whom they discussed several areas of academic collaboration:

1. Visiting scholars: Academic staff at UCU will be hosted at ANCC for up to a semester under their “Missionary in Residence” programme. ANCC will provide accommodation and meals to UCU visiting scholars and the visiting scholar will participate in teaching or administrative assignments while at ANCC.

2. ANCC student placements: Students at ANCC will carry out mission placements in Uganda and UCU will assist with the placement process.

3. Joint academic programmes: ANCC and UCU will develop jointly post-graduate programmes administered at Mukono Campus.

4. Short intensive courses in cross-cultural mission work: The two institutions will run short intensive courses for everyone who is interested in cross-cultural mission work such as the “En route” and “Explore” courses being run online and in person by ANCC.

During the Vice Chancellor’s visit to ANCC, he also met with Dr. Mark Galpin who lectures at the College. Mark is the son of Rev. Allan Galpin who died after surgery at Nsambya Hospital, Uganda in 1980 while serving as Acting Principal at Bishop Tucker Theological College from 1977 to 1980. He was buried in UCU Mukono Campus, above Bishop Tucker Building in.

With the All-Nations Christian College Acting College Principal, Rev. Dr V. J. Samkutty

Celebration with UCU UK Partners 

The Vice Chancellor and Maama Patience also attended a celebration by UCU UK Partners, a charity that has helped to raise scholarship funds for theology students. Many former staff members of BTTC and UCU, as well as friends of UCU, attended the event. The Vice Chancellor appreciated their support to UCU over the years.

After a fellowship meeting with UCU Partners UK

In July last year, Uganda Christian University (UCU) marked a milestone as it graduated its first cohort of students of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, and Bachelor of Dental Surgery. Together with fresh graduates from other medical schools in the country, these UCU graduates were deployed by the Ministry of Health as interns in various training hospitals in Uganda, a mandatory requirement for everyone before they practice medicine in the country. Kefa Senoga, a Uganda Partners communications intern, interviewed some of the former UCU School of Medicine (SoM) and School of Dentistry (SoD)  students who are now medical interns. A summary of responses are provided. 

Wasswa Travor (SoM) – ‘maintain an open mind’

Working at Lubaga Hospital has been a wonderful experience. As a Private and Not-for-profit (PNFP) facility, it stands out among other medical facilities due to its well-organized centers, abundant resources, extensive supervision and numerous specialists.

All healthcare facilities run by religious bodies are under PNFP. Lubaga Hospital is a Catholic-founded medical facility.

I have been able to learn and to grow both at a personal and professional level. My confidence levels, too, have improved. I now feel well-prepared for medical practice.

Sometimes the work schedule can be so demanding, but when I get free time, I spend it with the family. The most important lesson I’ve learned from my medical internship is to maintain an open mind. I also have learned that the entire medical internship is for us to learn from senior colleagues.

Basamu Bertram (SoD) – ‘a learning period’
The internship has been full of emotion, anxiety, and happiness. When you complete medical school and go for an internship, you get to practice many things on your own, and, therefore, many decisions are made entirely by you.

In some circumstances, supervision can be insufficient. Supervisors, who are senior doctors, are often overwhelmed by their own workload, sometimes leaving the intern doctors to manage patients on their own.

Despite such challenges, I have maintained a high level of self-control. Even when patients are offensive, I have always remained calm and composed.

Working at Mulago National Referral Hospital also has taught me to be hardworking. A national referral hospital by its nature has many patients, so you have to be ready for hectic work days. We only get two weeks of leave for every six months. As dentists, we engage in more hands-on practice during our internship than we did while at school. That’s why internship has been a learning period for me.

However, I also use the internet to learn more, as well as consult my former classmates and senior colleagues on some unique challenges I may face. I felt excited getting paid for my skills for the first time. We earn about sh1million (about $266) per month as our allowance, although sometimes they are delayed.

Elizabeth Tushabe (SoM) – ‘importance of prayer’

I have learned a great deal and continue to learn from the senior doctors I work with at Kawempe National Referral Hospital. I have been fortunate enough to work with senior doctors who are hospitable and are ready to help. Personally, I have gained extensive knowledge in both medical and non-medical areas from them.

Life outside of school is a whole new experience; we’re no longer students. I’ve had to make many adjustments, with transportation being my biggest challenge. Commuting daily from home to work, especially since it’s a long distance, has been a significant adjustment. I was used to using the university shuttle, but that option is no longer available.

Hearing that other hospitals are providing food and accommodation for their intern doctors also makes me feel a little less fortunate. 

My biggest lesson from this experience is the importance of prayer. As former students of UCU, we have been fortunate enough to have been involved in Christian fellowship while in school.

Birungi Beatrice (SoM) – ‘a good foundation’
Currently, I am an intern doctor at Lubaga Hospital, but adapting to the shift from school to a work environment was daunting. However, with the adaptation came the joy of working in a healthcare facility. I haven’t experienced anything that I would call a challenge. Many of the situations that I have come across are what I would call learning points.

However, one thing I have observed is that what we learned in medical school was a good foundation to build on what we have found in the field. 

Basule Isaac Ahamada (UCU SoM) – ‘occasional shortage’ challenge

Working at two medical facilities — Soroti Regional Referral Hospital and Pearl View Medical Center, Kiwanga, Mukono, where I work as a part time doctor — has been challenging. However, in the challenge, I have been able to grow from a theoretical medical student to a doctor capable of making sound on-the-spot decisions in situations where the outcome would be either life or death. 

While working in Soroti, I’ve faced challenges, particularly with the language barrier. However, I have been able to learn the local language, Ateso, to be able to communicate a few messages to the patients. In other instances, I have been able to use translators when available.

However, the biggest challenge has been occasional shortage of some logistics/services in the hospital, such as certain essential medicines, like the first line malaria drug (i.e artesunate), sterile gauze, blood culture service, meticulous intensive care unit (ICU) services — which leaves many of our patients receiving suboptimal care. 

This experience has instead taught me the importance of providing the best possible care to every patient, the kind of care I would want my loved ones to receive if they were in a similar situation. It’s a reminder that each patient is someone’s cherished family member.

 

By Kefa Senoga
When asked to name one contribution she has made in journalism that makes her overjoyed, Assoc. Prof. Emilly Comfort Maractho smiled and straightaway gave the answer: “Reviewing and redesigning the journalism and communication curriculum is one of the proudest things I have ever done in my career and in journalism.” 

Maractho said the revised curriculum was influenced by discussions on “what kind of journalists and communication professionals we want to prepare.”

The curriculum Maractho referenced was “a more practical” one taught within what was earlier called the Department of Journalism and Media Studies.  Then head of journalism in the Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication (now School of JMC), Maractho had the lead role in the emphasis on practicality when reviewing and redesigning curriculum within requirements of the National Council for Higher Education, which mandates revisions every three years. 

In the revised curriculum, Maractho said they intended to give the journalism and communication students not just the knowledge, but also the skills. For instance, she says, a person needs a solid understanding of economics in order to be a successful business journalist, and that was the thinking behind the introduction of course units like business and economics journalism in the curriculum.

Maractho found herself leading the curriculum review because shortly after obtaining a PhD in 2017, she was named the head of UCU’s Department of Journalism and Media Studies. The previous office bearer, Prof. Monica Chibita, had been promoted to the position of Dean in the then-newly established Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication.

UCU Empowering Academia Through Leadership

Six years after her promotion to senior lecturer and head of department of Journalism and Media Studies, Maractho has been promoted from the level of Senior Lecturer to Associate Professor in Media Studies. Maractho says that this promotion is more of an acknowledgment of her accomplishments in the spaces of media, communication and development. 

“To be an associate professor, you must have significantly contributed to a particular discipline through research, publications, experience, and the work that you are doing in that field,” says Maractho. She has also written many papers and Chairs the Schools’ Media, Democracy and Development Research Group.

Maractho’s venture into media academia began in 2005 when she took a postgraduate program in environmental journalism at Makerere University, and took shape in 2012 when she moved to Daystar University in Nairobi, Kenya, to pursue a master’s in communication, majoring in media studies. Initially, she studied development studies at Makerere University, where she graduated in 2003 with a bachelor’s in development studies. Thereafter, in 2007, she pursued a masters in development studies in 2007 at Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi.

Maractho says she desired to study journalism at the undergraduate level, but did not secure the points to qualify for a government scholarship. Furthermore, her parents  could not afford to pay for the course on a private sponsorship.

“My mother agreed to pay for a course whose tuition she could afford and development studies was among the cheapest courses; actually, it had the lowest tuition at the university, so I enrolled for that,” Maractho asserts.

Nevertheless, Maractho didn’t give up on her lifelong passion. After her university education, she joined Uganda Electricity Distribution Company limited and did part time work as an editor for the Westnile, a community newspaper whose target audience was northwestern Uganda. That is how she enrolled for a postgraduate course in environmental journalism at Makerere University in 2005.

Since undertaking her Master’s in Communication at Daystar University in Nairobi, Maractho has seamlessly integrated herself into the media and journalism academy. Subsequently, in 2014, she embarked on a PhD in Cultural and Media Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.

Maractho’s May 2024 promotion to the level of Associate Professor coincided with her appointment as chairperson of the board of the African Center for Media Excellence (ACME), a non-profit organization that “occupies the space between the media industry and academic institutions that train journalists.” 

“Our role as ACME is to make sure that there is journalistic excellence, so my job will be to champion the work of ACME, its ideals, and core values, and making the institution live to its full potential,” Maractho said.

She also sits on the boards of Uganda Media Women’s Association (UMWA) and Nation Media Group, Uganda.

She adds that part of her contribution at UMWA was participating in developing a gender-sensitive curriculum that provided training on reporting women’s stories, particularly those concerning domestic violence. She argues that such stories were not being given prominence by the media houses.

Previously, Maractho served as the director for the Africa Policy Centre (APC) at UCU, a think-tank set up by the university to propose policy alternatives to transform communities.

“My biggest achievement at APC was collaborating with the Impact Centre in South Africa to do research on the science granting councils in Africa,” she said. “A science granting council is a governmental body that champions science and technology. For example in Uganda, we have the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology.”

Maractho’s educational journey began in 1984 in Nebbi Town, where she attended Nebbi Primary School and later moved to Muni Girls Secondary School and Mvara Secondary School. All the three schools are located in northwestern Uganda. 

Uganda Christian University (UCU) made valuable impact at the St. Joseph’s Senior Secondary School, Naggalama’s Inter-University Exhibition and Symposium on June 15^th, 2024. UCU students and faculty showcased a diverse range of innovative prototypes and projects, impressing students, teachers, and dignitaries alike.

Among the innovations at the UCU stall were clean cooking solutions, multimedia projects including podcasts, virtual reality adventures, innovative renewable energy, and material solutions, among others.

The event’s Guest of Honour, Mr. George Mutekanga, Assistant Commissioner in Charge of Private Schools and Institutions, praised UCU for its commitment to transformative education.

“What UCU students have exhibited today is a true reflection that you are going in the right direction. We need to produce graduates who can innovate and create employment,” he commended.

Mutekanga was particularly impressed by the innovative projects on display, including papercretes and aluminum strips pavers.

He extended an official invitation to UCU to participate in the upcoming Bukalasa Agricultural Show, a testament to the university’s exceptional work.

The UCU team was also honoured to provide career guidance to the students, inspiring and motivating them to pursue their passions.

About Uganda Christian University (UCU)

Uganda Christian University (UCU) is a private, Christian university whose main campus is located in Mukono, Uganda.

Founded in 1997, it is one of the top-ranked universities in Uganda, and is accredited by the Uganda National Council for Higher Education.

Through our vibrant Schools and Faculties, UCU offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programmes across various disciplines, including business; computer science; education; law; medicine; dentistry; engineering; visual arts and design; nursing; agricultural sciences; social sciences; journalism, media and communication; and theology, among others.

Compiled by: Irene Best Nyapendi

Edited By: Harriet Adong, Consultant at UCU’s Communication and Public Relations Department

Uganda Christian University (UCU) School of Dentistry, together with the Directorate of Research Partnership and Innovation, UCU Partners, Koome Sub- County Local Government, and the Uganda Wildlife Conservation and Education Centre (UWEC), organized a week-long dental and health awareness camp at Koome Seed Secondary School on Koome Island, Mukono district in Uganda from June 5th-8^th, 2024.

This important event addresses the urgent need for dental care in Uganda, where there is only one dentist for every 150,000 people, and many people suffer from oral diseases.

This dental camp, the first ever on the Island, attracted a large number of people from the thirteen Islands of Koome.

Kiyinji Laurence, a local leader, thanked Uganda Christian University for its great work in helping the people of Koome.

“This project shows UCU’s commitment to serving the underprivileged and improving public health in our community,” said Kiyinji.

UCU Dental School offers students a chance to get hands-on experience

The camp offers UCU Dental School students a chance to get hands-on experience as they learn from alumni of Northwestern University’s Dental School in the USA, as well as experienced dentists from Uganda and their own lecturers.

Arnold Katamba a fourth year Dentistry student appreciated the social and practical skills that he attained during the medical camp.

“I learnt to do things I have not been doing practically. We have gained diverse and rich skills during these engagements, I have also learnt living in a community with people and more so the unprivileged” Arnold Jessy Katumba shared.

The outreach is part of UCU’s mission to train students to reach their full potential, live productive lives, and serve others with Christian faith.

Dr. Arabat Kasangaki the Head of Department at the School of Dentistry emphasized the importance of such events. “Oral health is often ignored in many communities, but it is very important for overall health. This camp has not only provided needed treatment but also taught people about dental hygiene and dental disease prevention,” Kasangaki said

Many people, including local government officials, healthcare workers, and volunteers, came together to make this camp a success.  All efforts aimed at improving the health and well-being of residents on the Island.

The camp was inspired by the late Logan Doseck, a Northwestern University Dental School alumnus who sadly passed away before finishing his dental studies.

 Written By: Andrew Bugembe,

Edited By: Harriet Adong, Communication and PR Consultant at UCU.

By Pauline Luba
Mushin Nsubuga spent a large part of his childhood with his grandmother, who was a nursing assistant. During the day, the grandmother would vend bananas and then turn to hospital work for the night shift. As such, the hospital environment had a lot of influence on Nsubuga’s future. It’s no wonder that he became a doctor.

At the time, Nsubuga’s mother was operating several businesses to earn a living for the family. His father was in Libya, studying Islam.  

Since Nsubuga’s grandmother professed the Christian faith, it is to the church that she took her grandson every Sunday, for worship at the Sunday school. No one, not even Nsubuga’s grandmother, ever imagined what that innocent act would have on Nsubuga, a Muslim, who eventually started professing the Christian faith.

Upon his father’s return from Libya, he sent his son away from home, protesting his change of faith. 

“I was chased away from home for owning a Bible,” said Nsubuga, who is married, with four biological children, and another in the process of being adopted. “My father could not accept my new religion,” 

Eventually, Nsubuga returned home, but a cold relationship with his father would continue, until he was 18 years. It was at that time that Nsubuga’s dad came to terms with his son’s new faith. To date, Nsubuga is a Christian. He thanks his now-deceased grandmother for taking him to Sunday school and deepening his relationship with Christ.

And it’s not just Christianity that remains engraved in Nsubuga. From what he witnessed at hospital, Nsubuga desired to be a health professional. Currently, he is a gynecologist and was early this year appointed the Executive Director of Save the Mothers East Africa.

Save the Mothers was created when Dr. Jean Chamberlain Froese, a Canadian obstetrician/ gynecologist, was confronted with mothers in need. As a volunteer with the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada and the Association of Obstetricians of Uganda, she discovered many of the causes of maternal death went far beyond medical barriers.

As a result, Dr. Froese worked with Ugandan colleagues — Dr. Florence Mirembe, Dr. Pius Okong, and Olive Sentumbwe- Mugisa — and founded Save the Mothers (STM). In 2005, STM launched its first program, Master of Public Health Leadership, at Uganda Christian University (UCU).

Nsubuga’s interest in maternal and child health, as well as the decision to specialize in obstetrics, came from his encounter with patients during his internships as a student. He says he witnessed some expectant women failing to buy delivery kits that they were expected to turn up with in hospital as they went into labor. Resources were so scarce at the hospital that women were often asked to buy gloves for the delivery of their babies, an option few could afford.

One day, Nsubuga remembers a woman walking into the health facility with no gloves, and no money. He says he and his colleagues raised funds to ensure a safe delivery for the woman. 

Nsubuga delivered countless mothers of their babies while still in Gulu, and he says it broke his heart how much suffering some women had to go through at that time. This prompted him to specialize in obstetrics, to get a chance to permanently help expectant women as a profession.

He believes God’s grace even favoured him as he highly passed the obstetrics course without much challenge during his studies.

He attended Nakivubo Blue Primary School, Katikamu High School for O’level and Merryland High School for A’level. All the three schools are located in central Uganda. He then proceeded to Gulu University in northern Uganda for his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery and then for Master of Medicine in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Makerere University.

After his undergraduate studies, Nsubuga returned to Gulu, to work in Kiwoko Hospital. While there, he says he saw many women facing challenges, with some in financial distress and others dying. One specific one stuck in his mind — a 16-year-old girl who was trying to give birth, but lost her life. 

Nsubuga’s Journey to UCU Save the Mothers

He initially didn’t think of joining Save the Mothers. However, after hearing about the search for a new executive director, he realized that to create a big impact in saving mothers, women and babies in the community, he would not be able to do it alone. One doctor can only save one patient at a time, but together with Save the Mothers, he believed that more could be done.

Nsubuga, who also works at C-Care Medical and International Diagnostic Centre in Kampala, applied for the position of Executive Director at Save the Mothers and got the job in February this year.

His task is to help the organization to stop mothers and children from dying through multidisciplinary training of individuals and to promote the safety of women in hospitals.

Currently, under his leadership, a stronger alumni network is being established, especially following the alumni meeting in May 2024, higher quality facilities are being provided to people in the postgraduate program and several projects are being implemented to help the organization realize its goals. 

When not doing work at Save the Mothers, Nsubuga is working at C Care Medical and International Diagnostic Centre in Kampala.