The National Research Repository of Uganda - NRU

Welcome to the National Research Repository of Uganda, abbreviated as "NRU". NRU was established in 2021. NRU is a collection of scholarly output by researchers from the UNCST Community, including scholarly articles and books, electronic theses and dissertations, conference proceedings, journals, technical reports and digitised library collections. It is the official Institutional Archive (IA) of UNCST.

For information about the publishers' copyright policy on archiving your articles online or in an institutional archive, visit the Sherpa Site at http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo.php The site gives a summary of the permissions normally given as part of each publisher's copyright transfer agreement. If you wish to publish your research findings in the NRU, please contact NRU administrator at admin@uncst.go.ug for details. NRU operates both open access and closed access models. Access to fulltext has been restricted in adherence to the UNCST Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Copyrights policies.

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Africa Portal is an online repository of open access library collection with over 3,000 books, journals, and digital documents on African policy issues. This is an initiative by the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), Makerere University (MAK), and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). Please visit the Africa Portal at http://www.africaportal.org/library.

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 12

Books and Book Abstracts
This community contains Open Access Books and Book Abstracts
Conference Proceedings
This community contains Ugandan Conference proceedings
Institutional Annual Research Reports
This community contains consolidated Ugandan Institutional Annual Research Reports on a broad range of subjects
Institutional Repository Policies
This community contains approved and running institutional repository policies from different research institutions
IT DevOps Communinity
IT DevOps Community

Recent Submissions

Trends of Antibiotic Resistance in ESKAPE Pathogens in Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (2015–2022), South Western, Uganda
(Wiley, 2025-05-14)
Joel Bazira,
;
Pauline Petra Nalumaga,
;
Balukhu Quraishi,
;
Abel W. Walekhwa,
;
Mugisha Lawrence,
Abstract Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance remains a global threat, with increasing infection and death rates. The World Health Organization identified Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp. (ESKAPE) as priority pathogens due to their increased antibiotic resistance development. This study assessed the resistance patterns of ESKAPE pathogens from 2015 to 2022 in Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted by reviewing retrieved data from WHONET. This is the laboratory software used in the microbiology laboratory in the Department of Microbiology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), which receives samples from both the outpatient and the inpatient departments of Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital. Results: A total of 5733 bacterial isolates were recovered, of which, 4822 were ESKAPE pathogens from the collected clinical specimens including blood, stool, urine, swabs, cerebral spinal fluid, wounds, and sputum. Staphylococcus aureus (4291, 74.8%) was the most frequently isolated pathogen followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (345, 6.0%). The bacteria categorized as ESKAPE pathogens showed significant rates of multidrug resistance. Ampicillin showed the highest resistance followed by ciprofloxacin. Conclusion: The significant prevalence of antimicrobial resistance to penicillin, ciprofloxacin, and tetracycline in ESKAPE bacteria emphasizes the significance of enhancing antimicrobial surveillance and infection-prevention and management initiatives within the country.
Critical literacy: an approach to child rights education in Uganda and Canada
(Wiley, 2023-05-23)
Shelley Jones,
;
Kathleen Manion
For children to know how to fully participate in and most effectively lead the world they will inherit, they must learn how to critically engage with it and be knowledgeable about foundational rights and instruments that support such engagement. Together, critical literacy, which encourages the examination and interrogation of the underlying assumptions of dominant narratives and ‘legitimate’ knowledge, and children’s rights education, which involves children in learning how to express their ideas and fully participate in society (as appropriate to their age and ability), offer a powerful approach—theoretical and pedagogical—to engage children in active engagement of the world, especially with respect to the promotion of social justice. However, the layers of complexity and risks associated with deep consideration of challenging topics require expert guidance and compassionate role modelling from teachers of young children. Our paper considers the intersections between critical literacy and global child rights with reference to a study conducted with young school children in Canada and Uganda to discuss how teachers can support meaningful learning experiences in the classroom that can promote children’s agency and social justice commitments.
The BEAST Database of Wildlife Representations from Egypt and Nubia (c. 22,000–30BC)
(Ubiquity Press, 2026-03-04)
Spedding, Juliet V.;
;
Ikram, Salima;
;
Snape, Steven ;
;
Lazagabaster, Ignacio A.;
;
Bro-Jørgensen, Jakob
We present a database comprising records of wildlife species >2 kg identified in depictions or man-made objects from Egypt and Nubia from the Last Glacial Maximum to the end of the Ptolemaic Period in Egypt (c.22,000BC–30BC) as reported in the literature. The categories of representations include: tomb reliefs and paintings, temple reliefs, rock art (engravings and paintings), ostraca, stelae, palettes, depictions on ceramics or various other objects, statues, figurines, amulets, various other objects or object parts shaped as wildlife species. The database is deposited in the Open Quaternary Dataverse (Harvard Dataverse) and provides a resource for researchers across disciplines investigating topics related to regional zoogeography and interactions between climate, human populations and biodiversity during the Holocene. The database was compiled as part of the Leverhulme-funded Biodiversity in Egyptian Archaeology during Societal Transitions (BEAST) project and has been used in the research reported in Lazagabaster et al. 2024, Bro-Jorgensen et al. 2025, and Spedding et al. 2025.
Prevalence trends of transfusion-transmitted infections at a tertiary private hospital blood bank in Uganda: a retrospective 6-year review (2017–2022)
(BMC, 2025-05)
Kanyike, Andrew Marvin;
;
Kakuba, Frank;
;
Mayambala, Posiano ;
;
Nalunkuma, Racheal;
;
Nakandi, Rachael Mukisa;
Background Blood transfusion is a life-saving medical intervention that can transmit transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs). In Uganda, prevalent infections in the general population may increase the risk of TTIs. This study determined the trends in seroprevalence of TTIs, including the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), and syphilis among blood donations over a 6-year period at a tertiary hospital blood bank in Uganda. Methods This was a retrospective cross-sectional study utilizing data from Mengo Hospital Rotary Blood Bank in central Uganda. Data was accessed through the central electronic system of Uganda Blood Transfusion Services for January 2017 to December 2022. Data was analyzed using STATA version 16.0. Descriptive statistics and time trend analysis were performed. A p-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results We analyzed 24,547 blood donations, the majority of which were male donors (18,525, 75.5%) within the age group of 25–40 years (9737, 39.7%) and of Blood group O (12,509, 51.0%). The overall prevalence of TTIs was 8.7% (2,142) and significantly higher among males (8.9%, p<0.001) and those over 40 years (10.7%, p<0.01). Syphilis had the highest prevalence at 3.0%, followed by HBV (2.8%), HCV (1.7%), and HIV (1.3%). Co-infections were observed in 0.6% (136) of the donors, with the most common being HBV and syphilis (33, 0.1%). The prevalence trends of TTIs analysed among new donations decreased from 13.7% in 2017 to 8.9% in 2022 (p=0.124). Only HCV showed a statistically significant variation, decreasing from 5.2% in 2017 to 1.7% in 2022 (p=0.009). Conclusion There is a decreasing trend of TTIs among blood donors in Central Uganda, although the prevalence of HBV and Syphilis remains high. Additional public health interventions to decrease TTI rates in the general population may increase the safety of blood transfusions.
Premenstrual Disorders, Their Severity Patterns, and Predictors Among Female University Students in Western Uganda: A Cross‐Sectional Study
(Wiley, 2025-11-23)
Marc Nzambimana;
;
Emmanuel Okurut;
;
Marie Pascaline Sabine Ishimwe;
;
Carlos Batista Cedeno;
;
Raissa Marie Ingrid Niyubahwe;
ABSTRACT Background: Premenstrual disorders (PMDs), including premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), are common menstrual‐related conditions that significantly impact the quality of life and academic performance of young women. This study aimed to determine their burden and predictors among female university students in Western Uganda. Methodology: We conducted a cross‐sectional study (December 2024–March 2025) at Kampala International University, Western Campus using the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST). The PSST comprises symptom items and functional‐impairment items with validated diagnostic cut‐offs for PMDD and for moderate‐to‐severe PMS. We performed bivariate and multivariable logistic regression to identify predictors of PMDs, reporting adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A total of 453 participants were enrolled. Overall, 75.9% met PSST diagnostic criteria for a PMD. PMS accounted for 46.3% and PMDD for 29.6% of the sample. Among PMS cases, moderate severity predominated (52.8%), followed by mild (36.2%) and severe (11.0%) categories. Independent predictors of PMDs included enrollment in the School of Allied Health Sciences (aOR = 4.25, 95% CI 1.00–18.03, p = 0.050), Muslim religion (aOR = 2.79, 95% CI 1.19–6.54, p = 0.020), drug use (aOR = 2.44, 95% CI 1.13–5.26, p = 0.024), and history of traumatic events (aOR = 2.24, 95% CI 1.07–4.70, p = 0.031). Conclusions: This study demonstrates a substantial burden of PMDs among female university students, with a predominance of moderate symptom severity. These findings support the need for screening and intervention programs within university settings. Targeted psychosocial support, stress‐management strategies, and menstrual health services may mitigate the academic and emotional consequences of PMDs.