Mulago National Referral Hospital and MU-JHU Care Ltd have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to continue their collaboration in research and quality patient care. For 34 years, the two institutions have collaborated extensively in Maternal and Child Health research as well as on other emerging health conditions like COVID-19. The results have been groundbreaking leading to significant contributions to HIV prevention and treatment guidelines by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Ministry of Health (MOH).

The new MoU further strengthens the mutual interests of both Mulago Hospital and MU-JHU, and complements their individual missions and institutional policies. This MOU also allows MU-JHU to maintain strategic geographical location along upper Mulago Hill road and utilize it for the development of further health research and programs.

Our vision is to have a positive impact on the health and well-being of the people of Uganda and globally including women, children and youth. In this, Mulago National Referral Hospital remains a critical strategic partner to MU-JHU. Prevention of mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) of HIV research, which began in 1997 with expert faculty at the Mulago teaching hospital and Makerere University has grown to support MU-JHU Care Ltd. Mulago partnered with MU-JHU as they conducted multiple prevention of mother to child HIV transmission (MTCT) trials in pregnancy. These included the HIVNET 012 study, where single dose Nevirapine to mother and her newborn baby reduced HIV transmission by 50% (1999) and the PROMISE study of triple antiretroviral therapy in pregnancy for elimination of MTCT of HIV, reducing (MTCT) transmission to less than 2%. Implementation of the Ministry of Health PMTCT program began in 2000, supported by MUJHU and in partnership with Mulago. More recently, the SHINE study demonstrated that 4 months of TB treatment was not inferior to 6 months in children with mild pulmonary TB (2021). Current research supported by MNRH also includes tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health issues and emerging conditions including COVID-19 related research. The relationship between MNRH and MU-JHU is therefore important for the strengthening of expertise for science research and implementation, to provide evidence to improve the health of Ugandans.

– Prof. Philippa Musoke, Executive Director MU-JHU Care Ltd