Patrick King

Patrick King

BLT, IDM, Field Epidemiology
Email: kingp@uniph.go.ug/ kingpatrick85@gmail.com
Telephone: +256775432193

Host Site: Department of Integrated Epidemiology, Surveillance and Public Health Emergencies

Host Mentor: Dr. Michael Mwanga/ Harriet Mayinja

ABOUT THE FELLOW

Mr. Patrick King is a field epidemiologist with a background in biomedical laboratory technology and a masters in International Infectious Diseases management from Makerere University. In his previous role as a medicine’s regulator, Patrick played a pivotal role in ensuring the safety, efficacy, and quality of public health products entering the market. The fusion of regulatory expertise and epidemiological insights positions him as a versatile professional dedicated to advancing the well-being of communities through a multidimensional approach to healthcare.

For the fellowship training he was attached to the Department of Integrated Epidemiology, Surveillance and Public Health Emergencies, whose mission is to strengthen surveillance for early detection of priority conditions, streamline reporting mechanisms, and timely investigation of disease outbreaks at all levels to ensure timely initiation of appropriate public health response

During his attachment, he acquired a robust set of competences that significantly enhanced his professional skill set. Through active participation in the monitoring and analysis of weekly disease trends, he refined his abilities in data interpretation and presentation. He also utilized various surveillance tools to improved his

proficiency in identifying potential outbreaks and assessing their impact on public health.

Patrick wrote reports, demonstrating his capacity to convey complex epidemiological information to diverse audiences. This attachment not only deepened his knowledge of epidemiological principles but also fostered a proactive and analytical approach to addressing public health challenges.

  Achievements at the Host Site

• Contributed to the compilation and dissemination of the departmental weekly epidemiology bulletin, providing crucial support in conveying essential information related to public health trends and epidemiological updates.
• Provided effective oversight of various entry points in Uganda.
• Participated in the quarterly one health meeting, fostering collaboration and information exchange among multidisciplinary stakeholders.
• Led a team to Eastern Uganda, overseeing an assessment of capacity in detection, reporting, and responding to international public health events at Points of Entry.
• Trained screeners at unofficial ports of entry by on Infection Prevention and Control measures.
• Led a team to Southwestern Uganda, to evaluate and enhance preparedness and response measures for public health emergencies at points of entry.
• Participated in reviewing indicators and implementing IDSR 3 (Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response).
• Regularly took the lead in weekly border health sub-pillar meetings.

Fellowship program specific achievements

• Conducted analysis on data from DHIS2 to evaluate “COVID-19 Vaccine uptake and coverage in Uganda, March 2021- June 2022.
• Team lead/Principal investigator in an outbreak investigation of Anthrax in Kagongo, Ibanda District in August 2022.
• Published two newspapers in the New vision about Public awareness of Monkeypox and a call on the community to engage in blood donation to save lives
• Team lead in an assessment on Population movements across Lwakhakha Uganda-Kenya and Cyanika Uganda-Rwanda borders, Nov 2022.

• Participated in the Following Outbreaks:

• • Severe malaria in Namutumba District, Uganda, September 2021 – February 2022
  • Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Masaka, Rakai and Lwengo districts.
  • Sudan Ebola outbreak in Mubende, Kasanda and Kampala, September 2022.
  • COVID-19 resurgence in Kisoro District.

• Led a quality improvement project on “Improving linkages within the TB care cascade among travelers at Malaba one-stop border point, Tororo District, June- November 2023.”
• Conducted an epidemiological study on “Unfavorable TB treatment outcomes and associated factors among TB/HIV co-infected patients in Teso Region, 2015–2021”
• Editor of the Uganda National Institute of Public Health (UNIPH) bulletin and he one Health epidemiological bulletin.
• Published three articles in different volumes of the Uganda public health bulletin.
• Conducted an HIV study: Incidence and factors associated with TB recurrence and all-cause mortality among People Living with HIV in Teso sub-region, Uganda, 2015-2020

Summary of Epidemiological Study: 

 Title: Cross Border Population Movement Patterns, Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda, November 2022

Background:  The frequent population movement across the five East African Countries poses risk of disease spread in the region. A clear understanding of population movement patterns is critical for informing cross-border disease control interventions. We assessed population mobility patterns across the borders of the East African states of Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda.

Methods: In November 2022, we conducted focus group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews (KIIs), and participatory mapping. Participants were selected using purposive sampling and a topic guide used during interviews. Key informants included border districts (Uganda and Rwanda) and county health officials (Kenya). FGD participants were identified from border communities and travelers and these included truck drivers, commercial motorcyclists, and businesspersons. During KIIs and FGDs, we conducted participatory mapping using Population Connectivity Across Borders toolkits. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach using Atlas ti 7 software.

Results: Different age groups traveled across borders for various reasons. Younger age groups traveled across the border for education, trade, social reasons, employment opportunities, agriculture and mining. While older age groups mainly traveled for healthcare and social reasons. Other common reasons for crossing the borders included religious and cultural matters. Respondents reported seasonal variations in the volume of travelers. Respondents reported using both official (4 Kenya-Uganda, 5 Rwanda-Uganda borders) and unofficial Points of Entry (PoEs) (14 Kenya-Uganda, 20 Uganda-Rwanda) for exit and entry movements on borders. Unofficial PoEs were preferred because they had fewer restrictions like the absence of screening, and immigration and customs checks.

Key Destination Points (points of interest) included: markets, health facilities, places of worship, education institutions, recreational facilities and business towns. Twenty-eight health facilities (10- Lwakhakha, Uganda, 10- Lwakhakha, Kenya, and 8- Cyanika, Uganda) along the borders were the most commonly visited by the travelers and border communities.

Conclusion: Complex population movement and connectivity patterns were identified along the borders. These were used to guide cross-border disease surveillance and other border health strategies in the three countries. Findings were used to revise district response and preparedness plans by strengthening community-based surveillance in border communities.

Key words: PopCAB, Border crossings, Points of Entry, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda

Next Steps

I hope to work with health agencies at the national and international levels in roles of surveillance, response to international health emergencies, situation assessments, mentoring and training, contributing to global health research, and supporting public health initiatives worldwide. I plan to publish all the work I was involved in during the fellowship and continue to disseminate the work I will do through peer review journals in order to impact public health.

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