Host Mentor:Dr. Nixon Niyonzima,, Dr. Noleb Mugisha,
ABOUT THE FELLOW
Nampeera Rose holds a Master of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Bachelor’s degree in surgery from Makerere University. Before joining the Fellowship program Rose worked for the Ministry of Health as an epidemiologist in COVID-19 pandemic response.
During her time as a Field epidemiology fellow, she was attached to the Uganda Cancer Institute where she gained skills/experience in community cancer screening and sensitization, leadership and public health response. The fellowship program has enabled Rose to gain technical expertise in field epidemiology skills that include: outbreak detection, investigations and response, evaluation of public health surveillance systems, project development and implementation, leadership and management, capacity building, scientific writing and communication skills.
Achievements at the Host Site
Analysed surveillance data for the Comprehensive Community Cancer Program (CCCP) at the Uganda Cancer Institute
Participated in community cancer awareness programs of the CCCP on cervical and breast cancer.
Trained the data team at the CCCP on cancer data management.
Evaluated of the cancer surveillance system with the data staff at the CCCP.
Fellowship program specific achievements
Outbreak investigation and other projects
Led 2 outbreak investigations
Hospitalized Covid-19 cases in Mulago Hospital, Dec –Jan, 2022.
Assessment of COVID-19 treatment availability and prescribing practices in Uganda, December 2021 to January 2022.
Participated in other outbreak investigations:
Ebola outbreak in Mubende and Kassanda districts, October 2022.
Cholera Outbreak in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Isingiro District.
Yellow Outbreak in Wakiso District, March 2021.
Participated in other investigations of public health importance
Comparing hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients in wave1 verses wave 2 and verses wave 3.
Unusual deaths in Kijonjo Parish, Kyotera District.
baseline evaluation of Malaria Insecticide treated bed net ownership and utilisation in Mukono district following a mass distribution, March-2021
Led the training District Health Teams (DHTs) on developing and interpreting malaria normal channels to detect malaria outbreaks in West Nile region, Uganda – 2021.
Trained and mentored Cohort 17 and 18 Frontline-FETP participants
Conceptualized and implemented an epidemiological study to assess the predictors of follow up for cervical cancer and cervical lesions treatment among women living with HIV in Uganda.
Conducted a quality improvement project “Improving cervical cancer screening in Fort portal Regional Referral Hospital, 2022.”
Conceptualised and implemented an HIV study entitled “Predictors of follow up for cervical cancer and cervical lesions treatment among women living with HIV in Uganda.”
Unveiling Global Inequality in COVID-19 Treatment Availability and Prescribing Practices in Two Uganda General Hospitals, December 2021–January 2022: A Mixed Method Model.”
“Factors associated with death among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Mulago Hospital, Uganda Dec 2021 –Jan 2022”
“Spatial and Temporal Trends of Cervical Cancer, Uganda, 2012- 2021: an Analysis of Surveillance Data”
“Predictors of follow up for cervical cancer and cervical lesions treatment among women living with HIV in Uganda.”
Epidemiological bulletins
‘Factors associated with death among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during Uganda’s third wave’
‘Spatial and Temporal Trends of Cervical Cancer, Uganda, 2012- 2021: an Analysis of Surveillance Data’
Newspaper articles in the New Vision
“Continue the fight against cervical cancer”
“Men go test for prostate cancer”
Conference presentations
The 7th National Field Epidemiology conference: “Trends of cervical cancer 2017 –2020”
The 8th National Field Epidemiology conference: “Trends of cervical cancer 2017 –2020”
Summary of Epidemiological Study:
Title: Factors associated with death among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Mulago Hospital, Uganda Dec 2021 – Jan 2022
Background:
On 7 December 2021, the first SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant was confirmed in Uganda. By 14 December 2021, COVID-19 cases had risen sharply in Uganda’s third wave of COVID-19 cases, largely driven by the Omicron variant. Analysis of hospitalized patients in the first and second waves of COVID-19 in Uganda identified age and male sex to be associated with death. We described factors associated with death among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Mulago Hospital during W3 of the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda.
Methods: We retrieved treatment files for all hospitalized patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection at Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda from 14 December 2021 to 14 January 2022. We extracted data on age, sex, vaccination status, underlying conditions, and severity of COVID-19 disease, and interviewed patients or next-of-kin to obtain additional information. We used modified Poisson regression to identify factors associated with mortality.
Results: Among 206 patients, 112 (54%) were females and median age was 53 years (range, 0-98 years). In total, 127 (62%) had comorbidities, 38 (18%) were fully vaccinated (≥2 doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine), and 40 (20%) died. The median age of persons who died was 63 years (range, 23-88 years), compared with 51 years (0-98 years) in survivors. Seven (18%) persons who died were fully vaccinated, compared with 31 (19%) survivors (OR=0.90, 95%CI=0.43-1.9). Compared to patients aged 0-40 years, the odds of death were 4.1 (95%CI 1.4- 12) times higher among patients aged 45-65 years and 4.4 (95%CI 1.6-12) times higher for patients aged ≥66 years. The presence of comorbidities was not associated with death.
Conclusion: Among persons hospitalized with COVID-19 in Uganda’s third wave of infections, only increasing age was associated with death. There is need to continue to emphasize COVID-19 prevention and appropriate care for COVID-19 among older persons and continue studying new variants of COVID-19 independently.
Key lessons learnt during the fellowship
Outbreak detection, investigation, response and control
Leadership and management skills acquired from various projects led and assigned
Designing and implementation of continuous quality improvement projects
Interpersonal skills with personnel of different cadres and race
Communication skills including scientific presentation
Next Steps
Publish pending work done during the fellowship in peer reviewed journals
Use the knowledge, skills and experience gained to nurture a career in epidemiology and impact society nationally and internationally through available institutions of government and international organisations.
Pictorial
Petranilla supervising polio mass vaccination in Mbale Regional Referral Hospital
Petranilla shares a jolly moment with the children in Iganga during one of her field investigations
Nampeera Rose (left) with a health worker at the COVID-19 isolation and treatment unit at Fort portal Regional Referral Hospital.
Nampeera Rose(left) abstracting data in Mulago National Referral Hospital