Makerere University’s Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs (DVC AA) launched a project that will see the Institution take lead in building capacity in Zoonotic Disease Management.

The CAPAZOMANINTECO project will use an integrated ecosystem health approach to manage human diseases of animal origin such as Ebola in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Speaking at the launch on 5th September, the DVC AA, Dr. Ernest Okello Ogwang appreciated the support given to Makerere University by the Norwegian Government.

The CAPAZOMANINTECO project is one of the 9 projects funded by the Norwegian Program for Capacity Development in Higher Education and Research for Development (NORHED) at Makerere University.

NORHED aims at increasing higher education and capacity building in low and middle income countries to increase incomes and reduce poverty.

Spearheaded by the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB), CAPAZOMANINTECO is a collaborative effort of 4 universities: University of Zambia, University of Barl El Gazal (South Sudan), Norwegian University of Life Sciences and Makerere University, which is also the grant recipient.

L-R: DVCAA-Dr. Ernest Okello Ogwang, Project Coordinator NMBU-Prof. Eystein Skjerve and Deputy Principal CoVAB-Dr. Jessica Nakavuma at the CAPAZOMANINTECO Project Launch, CoVAB

Dr. Okello Ogwang saluted the country management team for the concerns in terms of public health raised by this project, which he said, “bring all of us together.”

According to Dr. Clovice Kankya, the Project Coordinator Makerere University, the project will improve the health and wellbeing of people in the participating countries of Uganda, Zambia and South Sudan through strengthening education and research.

Dr. Jessica Nakavuma, Deputy Principal, CoVAB expressed gratitude to NORHED for availing what is needed to build capacity and stressed that Makerere was prepared to effectively manage the project.

“I am confident that Makerere University under the coordination of Dr. Clovice Kankya shall achieve the desired goals of this project”, said Dr. Nakavuma.