Browsing by Author "Okware, Sam"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    Fighting HIV/AIDS: is success possible?
    (Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 2001) Okware, Sam; Opio, Alex; Musinguzi, Joshua; Waibale, Paul
    The fight against HIV/AIDS poses enormous challenges worldwide, generating fears that success may be too difficult or even impossible to attain. Uganda has demonstrated that an early, consistent and multisectoral control strategy can reduce both the prevalence and the incidence of HIV infection. From only two AIDS cases in 1982, the epidemic in Uganda grew to a cumulative 2 million HIV infections by the end of 2000. The AIDS Control Programme established in 1987 in the Ministry of Health mounted a national response that expanded over time to reach other relevant sectors under the coordinating role of the Uganda AIDS Commission. The national response was to bring in new policies, expanded partnerships, increased institutional capacity for care and research, public health education for behaviour change, strengthened sexually transmitted disease (STD) management, improved blood transfusion services, care and support services for persons with HIV/AIDS, and a surveillance system to monitor the epidemic. After a decade of fighting on these fronts, Uganda became, in October 1996, the first African nation to report declining trends in HIV infection. Further decline in prevalence has since been noted. TheMedical Research Council (UK) and the Uganda Virus Research Institute have demonstrated declining HIV incidence rates in the general population in the Kyamulibwa in Masaka Districts. Repeat knowledge, attitudes, behaviour and practice studies have shown positive changes in the priority prevention indicators. The data suggest that a comprehensive national response supported by strong political commitment may be responsible for the observed decline. Other countries in sub-Saharan Africa can achieve similar results by these means. Since success is possible, anything less is unacceptable.
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    How Uganda Reversed Its HIV Epidemic
    (AIDS and Behavior, 2006) Slutkin, Gary; Okware, Sam; Naamara, Warren; Sutherland, Don; Flanagan, Donna; Carael, Michel; Blas, Erik; Delay, Paul; Tarantola, Daniel
    Uganda is one of only two countries in the world that has successfully reversed the course of its HIV epidemic. There remains much controversy about how Uganda’s HIV prevalence declined in the 1990s. This article describes the prevention programs and activities that were implemented in Uganda during critical years in its HIV epidemic, 1987 to 1994. Multiple resources were aggregated to fuel HV prevention campaigns at multiple levels to a far greater degree than in neighboring countries. We conclude that the reversed direction of the HIV epidemic in Uganda was the direct result of these interventions and that other countries in the developing world could similarly prevent or reverse the escalation of HIV epidemics with greater availability of HIV prevention resources, and well designed programs that take efforts to a critical breadth and depth of effort.
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    Proportion of Deaths and Clinical Features in Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Infection, Uganda
    (Emerging infectious diseases, 2010) MacNeil, Adam; Farnon, Eileen C.; Wamala, Joseph; Okware, Sam; Cannon, Deborah L.; Reed, Zachary; Towner, Jonathan S.; Tappero, Jordan W.; Lutwama, Julius; Ksiazek, Thomas G.; Rollin, Pierre E.; Downing, Robert; Nichol, Stuart T.
    Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) is a severe disease caused by several species of Ebolavirus (EBOV), in the family Filoviridae. Before 2007, four species of EBOV had been identifi ed; 2 of these, Zaire ebolavirus and Sudan ebolavirus, have caused large human outbreaks in Africa, with proportion of deaths ≈80%–90% and 50%, respectively (1–5). Large outbreaks are associated with person-to-person transmission after the virus is introduced into humans from a zoonotic reservoir. Data suggest that this reservoir may be fruit bats (6,7). During outbreaks of EHF, the virus is commonly transmitted through direct contact with infected persons or their bodily fl uids (8–11). The onset of EHF is associated with nonspecifi c signs and symptoms, including fever, myalgias, headache, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea; at later stages of disease, overt hemorrhage has been reported in ≈45% of cases (12). Bundibugyo District is located in western Uganda, which borders the Democratic Republic of Congo. After reports of a mysterious illness in Bundibugyo District, the presence of a novel, fi fth EBOV virus species, Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BEBOV), was identifi ed in diagnostic samples submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia, USA, in November 2007 (13). In response to detection of EBOV, an international outbreak response was initiated. In this report, we summarize fi ndings of laboratory-confi rmed cases of BEBOV infection.
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    Risk Management on Financial Performance in Higher Institutions of Learning: a case study of Uganda Christian University, Mbale campus
    (Annual International Conference, 2015) Omache, Henry; Nabende D., Dan; Okware, Sam; Wabusa, Francis; Hannah, Gidudu Lunyolo
    Risk Management is the application of proactive strategy to plan, lead, organize and control the wide variety of risks that come into the fabric of an organization daily and in the long term functioning. Risk has a say in the achievement of our goals and in overall success of an organization. Problem statement: A number of universities and other higher institutions of learning are grappling with how to manage risk in order to maximize firm value via the reduction of costs associated with different risks. There is need for higher institutions of learning to manage key causes of risk and probably in that way also manage risks which have not been identified. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to identify types of risks faced by higher institutions of learning and to establish techniques of managing the risks faced by higher institutions of learning. Methodology: To achieve the objective of this study, the researchers used descriptive research design with both qualitative and quantitative approaches, interview guide for primary: from secondary sources i.e from books, journals and online publications. Purposive sampling was used to sample managers and simple random sampling technique to sample support staff. Findings: Researchers identified various risks like; strategic risk, financial risk, legal risk, reputation risk operational risk and major project risk faced by higher institutions of learning. The study concluded that higher institutions of learning should in essence identify and outline common causes of risks and focus on how to manage the key causes for the survival and accelerated growth of their institutions. They can do this by stressing more on sensitizing the students and staff through risk reduction, self insurance and precautionary measures other than solely buying insurance
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    Schistosomiasis among Recreational Users of Upper Nile River, Uganda, 2007
    (Emerging infectious diseases, 2010) Morgan, Oliver W.; Brunette, Gary; Kapella, Bryan K.; McAuliffe, Isabel; Katongole-Mbidde, Edward; Li, Wenkai; Marano, Nina; Okware, Sam; Olsen, Sonja J.; Secor, W. Evan; Tappero, Jordan W.; Wilkins, Patricia P.; Montgomery, Susan P.
    Schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection caused by schistosome fl ukes, affects 207 million persons worldwide, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa (1). Schistosomiasis has been reported among travelers (2–12); 3 outbreaks have been reported among white-water rafters on the Omo River in Ethiopia (2,7,10). During September–November 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received reports of schistosome infection among travelers returning from white-water rafting on the Nile River, Jinja District, Uganda. Approximately 12,000 persons raft each year in Uganda, and local rafting companies believe that exposure to fast-moving white water during rafting and kayaking presents a low risk for schistosomiasis
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    Side-Effects following Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine in Tororo District, Eastern Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study
    (MDPI AG, 2022-11) Onyango, Jagire; Mukunya, David; Napyo, Agnes; Nantale, Ritah; Makoko, Brian T; Matovu, Joseph K B; Wanume, Benon; Okia, David; Okello, Francis; Okware, Sam; Olupot-Olupot, Peter; Lubaale, Yovani
    Abstract: Effective, safe and proven vaccines would be the most effective strategy against the COVID-19 pandemic but have faced rollout challenges partly due to fear of potential side-effects. We assessed the prevalence, profiles, and predictors of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine side-effects in Tororo district of Eastern Uganda. We conducted telephone interviews with 2204 participants between October 2021 and January 2022. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to assess factors associated with Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine side-effects using Stata version 15.0. A total of 603/2204 (27.4%) of the participants experienced one or more side-effects (local, systemic, allergic, and other side-effects). Of these, 253/603 (42.0%) experienced local side-effects, 449/603 (74.5%) experienced systemic side-effects, 11/603 (1.8%) experienced allergic reactions, and 166/603 (27.5%) experienced other side-effects. Ten participants declined to receive the second dose because of side-effects they had experienced after the first dose. Previous infection with COVID-19 (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 4.3, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 2.7–7.0), being female (AOR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1–1.6) and being a security officer (AOR: 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2–0.6) were associated with side-effects to the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. We recommend campaigns to disseminate correct information about potential side-effects of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and strengthen surveillance for adverse events following vaccination.