CROSSING CONTINENTS: Unveiling Insights from Uganda in Collaborative Research with North American Institutes James Nnamutete is a study coordinator at the Rakai Health Sciences program (RHSP) situated in Kalisizo, Uganda. His 17 years of expertise consists of his work with various clinical studies, including those related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk and transmission within the Ugandan community. This year, I had the privilege to visit RHSP in Uganda to help initiate a clinical study for my PhD project. James kindly participated in this interview for IMMpress, offering valuable insights into global collaborative research. Here’s a snapshot of a conversation between James and I, bridging the distance between Kalisizo and Toronto with our discussion.
Hi James, thanks for taking the time to do this interview. Can you please give an overview of the RHSP organization? RHSP is a collaborative biomedical research and service delivery organization in South Central Uganda dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of all community members of the district of Rakai through community-based research, services, and prevention strategies. Beyond research, it operates as a public clinic offering medical services, including HIV prevention, alongside additional services like prayer counseling. Through research opportunities, I have personally collaborated with institutes from Canada and the United States.
From your perspective, does international research collaborations benefit RHSP and its community? How does RHSP do that? There are a few benefits that I see from collaborative research. Each study enhances our international friendships, fosters a union between institutes, and continues to recognize RHSP’s efforts on a global scale. Through collaborations, findings are shared with the Rakai community [through community outreach programs like free soccer matches] to directly inform the health services that we provide. Importantly, international collaborators bring crucial funding to continue supporting active research from our side.
James Nnamutete, Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT) and Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences (BMLS) Laboratory Coordinator for Rakai Health Sciences Program
22 IMMpress Vol. 11 No. 3 2024
Internally, new projects allow staff to be trained with novel skillsets, thereby increasing and experience of our team. Likewise, new equipment purchased for studies remain in our research facility after the study ends, contributing to our resources and benefiting future projects and patient diagnosing. This increase in staff expertise and available equipment creates a positive feedback effect, enhancing our ability to secure more funds for research. Working with international collaborators must also bring some challenges along the way. Can you tell me about some of these challenges from your experience?
