Joseph Rujumba
Biographic Data
| ID | 353023 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Joseph Rujumba |
| GIVEN NAMES | Joseph |
| FAMILY NAME | Rujumba |
| SIGNATURE | RUJUMBA J |
| AFFILIATIONS | Makerere University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-9485-8790 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 19 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 1 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 19 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2010 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Paediatric palliative care following hospital discharge
Palliative care (PC) is crucial for children with cancer to alleviate suffering and enhance quality of life. However, continuity of pediatric palliative care (PPC) can be disrupted by factors such as lack of knowledge, stigma, bureaucratic hurdles, inadequate referral systems, and staffing shortages. There is limited data on the prevalence and factors associated with non-continuity of PPC in Uganda. This study explores the prevalence and factors …
Urban child poverty in Kampala city, insights from children’s drawings
In many urban areas, rapid urbanization, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, has overwhelmed technical and administrative capacity to provide adequate services. This has led to various challenges of urban sustainability, including urban child poverty, known to worsen the cognitive and emotional well-being of such children. We aimed to gain an understanding of and provide evidence on urban child poverty in Uganda through children’s diagrammatic repr…
Most significant changes from women’s economic empowerment and pathways from Ugandan women in the agro-value chain
Traditional evaluation models often rely on predefined indicators set by program designers, limiting the ability to capture emerging and lived outcomes. This study examines the impact of Women’s Economic Empowerment from beneficiaries’ perspectives using the Most Significant Change approach. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted in Kampala and Wakiso, Uganda, utilizing focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and in-depth interv…
“I want to help my body”
Patients with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) are at risk of severe illness and death if infected by malaria, and lifelong prophylaxis is recommended to individuals in malaria endemic regions. Although its efficacy is declining due to parasite resistance, the antimalarial drug Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) is still given to patients with SCA in several countries of sub-Saharan Africa. A clinical trial was performed to compare SP with Dihydroartemisin…
"Can you bury him before he dies?" Sickle cell disease and social sites of suffering in Malawi and Uganda
In health-related research, experience of illness is commonly characterised by its physical signs and symptoms. However, the experience of illness also extends past the patients' bodily aches and ailments to influence, and possibly impair, their social interactions. Despite its relational ramifications, the field of medicine has not awarded enough attention towards social dimensions of suffering nor the ways in which chronic disease may change an…
Whatever is bad goes back to the woman
Mothers are commonly blamed for the ill-health of their children, and this is well documented in research. However, few studies have considered gendered patterns of blame for hereditary conditions caused by mutations from both parents through dual, shared genetic inheritance. This paper explores the 'gendering' of blame in the context of an inherited blood disorder known as sickle cell disease. The findings are drawn from 18 focus group discussio…
‘When I receive ARVs through my group, my heart settles’
The Friends for Life Circles (FLC) was a parallel randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of a group peer support intervention to support long-term adherence to Option B+ in Kampala and Mityana districts in Uganda. We explored FLC participants’ experiences and perceptions of the intervention on adherence to Option B+ for PMTCT and potential implications for strengthening the PMTCT program. We collected data from six focus group discussio…
“Here, your only relative is money…” why slum social networks do not facilitate neighborhood community development
Social networks in slums are only concerned about survival needs. Slums require responses that address the complexity of slum formation and broader livelihood challenges, as well as re-assessing the meaning of community. We posit that more needs to be done in understanding the meaning and workings of a sociology beyond physical societies. Poverty is a modifier of social systems and processes and should be a concern for all stakeholders involved i…
Effects of Multi-Month Dispensing on Clinical Outcomes
Factors influencing ART adherence, acceptability and potential use of “Call for life IVR tool” among young people in rural Uganda
Young people (15–24 years) living with HIV have lower viral load suppression rates compared to older adults. The main causes of poor viral load suppression are; non-compliance to clinic visits, lack of HIV & ART knowledge, inconsistent swallowing of pills, and poor pill adherence. Persistent viremia is associated with the development of drug resistance and low immunity, which increases the risk of opportunistic infections and death. The World Hea…
There Were Moments We Wished She Could Just Die
Nodding Syndrome (NS) occurs within a wide spectrum of epilepsies seen in onchocerciasis endemic areas of sub-Saharan Africa. It has debilitating consequences on affected individuals and increases the socio-economic, physical and psychological burden on care-givers and their households, diminishing their standing within the community. Social science research on the disproportionate burden of the disease on females is limited. Based on ethnographi…
Community-funded integrated care outreach clinics as a capacity building strategy to expand access to health care in remote areas of Uganda
Most Ugandans live in rural, medically underserved communities where geography and poverty lead to reduced access to healthcare. We present a novel low-cost approach for supplemental primary care financing through 1) pooling community wealth to cover overhead costs for outreach clinic activities and 2) issuing microfinance loans to motorcycle taxi entrepreneurs to overcome gaps in access to transportation. The intervention described here, which l…
A qualitative study of the perspectives of health workers and policy makers on external support provided to low-level private health facilities in a Ugandan rural district, in management of childhood …
BACKGROUND: With the under-five child mortality rate of 46.4 deaths per 1000 live births, Uganda should accelerate measures to reduce child deaths to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 3. While 60-70% of frontline health services are provided by the private sector, many low-level private health facilities (LLPHF) are unregistered, unregulated, and often miss innovative and quality improvement strategies rolled out by the Ministry of Health.…
A Qualitative Exploration of the Referral Process of Children with Common Infections from Private Low-Level Health Facilities in Western Uganda
Over 50% of sick children are treated by private primary-level facilities, but data on patient referral processes from such facilities are limited. We explored the perspectives of healthcare providers and child caretakers on the referral process of children with common childhood infections from private low-level health facilities in Mbarara District. We carried out 43 in-depth interviews with health workers and caretakers of sick children, purpos…
Re-conceptualizing sustainable urban sanitation in Uganda
Providing sustainable urban livelihoods and meeting sanitation demands is nested within sustainable livelihoods. Previous interventions have labored to fix the sanitation problem in slums without considering the drivers of this problem. Sustainable urban livelihoods are critical in reducing slums, improving slum living and curtailing the onset of slumification. Urban authorities need to make urban centres economically vibrant as an integral strat…
PMTCT Option B+ 2012 to 2018 — Taking stock
Since 2012, PMTCT Option B+ has been recommended by the World Health Organization to reduce vertical transmission but numerous adherence challenges remain. We conducted a qualitative study at baseline using six focus group discussions and 14 in-depth interviews to explore knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and challenges towards the Option B+ strategy for PMTCT among HIV-infected pregnant and post-partum women and health workers engaged in Uganda's na…
Assessing the level of institutionalization of donor-funded anti-retroviral therapy (ART) programs in health facilities in Uganda
BACKGROUND: In the context of declining international assistance for ART scale-up in Sub-Saharan Africa, the institutionalization of ART programs through integrating them in the organizational routines of health facilities is gaining importance as a program sustainability strategy. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were; (i) to compare the level of institutionalization of ART programs in health facilities in Uganda and (ii) to explore reasons for…
Closing the gap in HIV prevention and care for children
Inequities in access to HIV prevention and treatment for children remain a global challenge and a black spot to effective HIV prevention and response especially in many HIV endemic countries like Uganda. In Uganda while about 51% of the adults living with HIV are on antiretrovirals, only 39% of the children aged 0-14 years accessed the needed HIV care in 2014. In this article, it is argued that much focus on health system interventions with littl…
Interface of culture, insecurity and HIV and Aids
Development partners including civil society organisations, central government, district administration, religious and cultural leaders as well as other stakeholders should mainstream HIV in all community development and livelihood interventions in the post conflict Pader district to curtail the likely escalation of the HIV epidemic. A comprehensive behaviour change communication strategy is urgently needed to address the negative cultural practi…
Whatever is bad goes back to the woman
Mothers are commonly blamed for the ill-health of their children, and this is well documented in research. However, few studies have considered gendered patterns of blame for hereditary conditions caused by mutations from both parents through dual, shared genetic inheritance. This paper explores the 'gendering' of blame in the context of an inherited blood disorder known as sickle cell disease. The findings are drawn from 18 focus group discussio…
Interface of culture, insecurity and HIV and Aids
Development partners including civil society organisations, central government, district administration, religious and cultural leaders as well as other stakeholders should mainstream HIV in all community development and livelihood interventions in the post conflict Pader district to curtail the likely escalation of the HIV epidemic. A comprehensive behaviour change communication strategy is urgently needed to address the negative cultural practi…
Closing the gap in HIV prevention and care for children
Inequities in access to HIV prevention and treatment for children remain a global challenge and a black spot to effective HIV prevention and response especially in many HIV endemic countries like Uganda. In Uganda while about 51% of the adults living with HIV are on antiretrovirals, only 39% of the children aged 0-14 years accessed the needed HIV care in 2014. In this article, it is argued that much focus on health system interventions with littl…
Assessing the level of institutionalization of donor-funded anti-retroviral therapy (ART) programs in health facilities in Uganda
BACKGROUND: In the context of declining international assistance for ART scale-up in Sub-Saharan Africa, the institutionalization of ART programs through integrating them in the organizational routines of health facilities is gaining importance as a program sustainability strategy. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were; (i) to compare the level of institutionalization of ART programs in health facilities in Uganda and (ii) to explore reasons for…
PMTCT Option B+ 2012 to 2018 — Taking stock
Since 2012, PMTCT Option B+ has been recommended by the World Health Organization to reduce vertical transmission but numerous adherence challenges remain. We conducted a qualitative study at baseline using six focus group discussions and 14 in-depth interviews to explore knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and challenges towards the Option B+ strategy for PMTCT among HIV-infected pregnant and post-partum women and health workers engaged in Uganda's na…
Community-funded integrated care outreach clinics as a capacity building strategy to expand access to health care in remote areas of Uganda
Most Ugandans live in rural, medically underserved communities where geography and poverty lead to reduced access to healthcare. We present a novel low-cost approach for supplemental primary care financing through 1) pooling community wealth to cover overhead costs for outreach clinic activities and 2) issuing microfinance loans to motorcycle taxi entrepreneurs to overcome gaps in access to transportation. The intervention described here, which l…
A qualitative study of the perspectives of health workers and policy makers on external support provided to low-level private health facilities in a Ugandan rural district, in management of childhood …
BACKGROUND: With the under-five child mortality rate of 46.4 deaths per 1000 live births, Uganda should accelerate measures to reduce child deaths to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 3. While 60-70% of frontline health services are provided by the private sector, many low-level private health facilities (LLPHF) are unregistered, unregulated, and often miss innovative and quality improvement strategies rolled out by the Ministry of Health.…
A Qualitative Exploration of the Referral Process of Children with Common Infections from Private Low-Level Health Facilities in Western Uganda
Over 50% of sick children are treated by private primary-level facilities, but data on patient referral processes from such facilities are limited. We explored the perspectives of healthcare providers and child caretakers on the referral process of children with common childhood infections from private low-level health facilities in Mbarara District. We carried out 43 in-depth interviews with health workers and caretakers of sick children, purpos…
Re-conceptualizing sustainable urban sanitation in Uganda
Providing sustainable urban livelihoods and meeting sanitation demands is nested within sustainable livelihoods. Previous interventions have labored to fix the sanitation problem in slums without considering the drivers of this problem. Sustainable urban livelihoods are critical in reducing slums, improving slum living and curtailing the onset of slumification. Urban authorities need to make urban centres economically vibrant as an integral strat…
Factors influencing ART adherence, acceptability and potential use of “Call for life IVR tool” among young people in rural Uganda
Young people (15–24 years) living with HIV have lower viral load suppression rates compared to older adults. The main causes of poor viral load suppression are; non-compliance to clinic visits, lack of HIV & ART knowledge, inconsistent swallowing of pills, and poor pill adherence. Persistent viremia is associated with the development of drug resistance and low immunity, which increases the risk of opportunistic infections and death. The World Hea…
There Were Moments We Wished She Could Just Die
Nodding Syndrome (NS) occurs within a wide spectrum of epilepsies seen in onchocerciasis endemic areas of sub-Saharan Africa. It has debilitating consequences on affected individuals and increases the socio-economic, physical and psychological burden on care-givers and their households, diminishing their standing within the community. Social science research on the disproportionate burden of the disease on females is limited. Based on ethnographi…
‘When I receive ARVs through my group, my heart settles’
The Friends for Life Circles (FLC) was a parallel randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of a group peer support intervention to support long-term adherence to Option B+ in Kampala and Mityana districts in Uganda. We explored FLC participants’ experiences and perceptions of the intervention on adherence to Option B+ for PMTCT and potential implications for strengthening the PMTCT program. We collected data from six focus group discussio…
“Here, your only relative is money…” why slum social networks do not facilitate neighborhood community development
Social networks in slums are only concerned about survival needs. Slums require responses that address the complexity of slum formation and broader livelihood challenges, as well as re-assessing the meaning of community. We posit that more needs to be done in understanding the meaning and workings of a sociology beyond physical societies. Poverty is a modifier of social systems and processes and should be a concern for all stakeholders involved i…
Effects of Multi-Month Dispensing on Clinical Outcomes
Whatever is bad goes back to the woman
Mothers are commonly blamed for the ill-health of their children, and this is well documented in research. However, few studies have considered gendered patterns of blame for hereditary conditions caused by mutations from both parents through dual, shared genetic inheritance. This paper explores the 'gendering' of blame in the context of an inherited blood disorder known as sickle cell disease. The findings are drawn from 18 focus group discussio…
Urban child poverty in Kampala city, insights from children’s drawings
In many urban areas, rapid urbanization, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, has overwhelmed technical and administrative capacity to provide adequate services. This has led to various challenges of urban sustainability, including urban child poverty, known to worsen the cognitive and emotional well-being of such children. We aimed to gain an understanding of and provide evidence on urban child poverty in Uganda through children’s diagrammatic repr…
Most significant changes from women’s economic empowerment and pathways from Ugandan women in the agro-value chain
Traditional evaluation models often rely on predefined indicators set by program designers, limiting the ability to capture emerging and lived outcomes. This study examines the impact of Women’s Economic Empowerment from beneficiaries’ perspectives using the Most Significant Change approach. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted in Kampala and Wakiso, Uganda, utilizing focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and in-depth interv…
“I want to help my body”
Patients with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) are at risk of severe illness and death if infected by malaria, and lifelong prophylaxis is recommended to individuals in malaria endemic regions. Although its efficacy is declining due to parasite resistance, the antimalarial drug Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) is still given to patients with SCA in several countries of sub-Saharan Africa. A clinical trial was performed to compare SP with Dihydroartemisin…
"Can you bury him before he dies?" Sickle cell disease and social sites of suffering in Malawi and Uganda
In health-related research, experience of illness is commonly characterised by its physical signs and symptoms. However, the experience of illness also extends past the patients' bodily aches and ailments to influence, and possibly impair, their social interactions. Despite its relational ramifications, the field of medicine has not awarded enough attention towards social dimensions of suffering nor the ways in which chronic disease may change an…
Paediatric palliative care following hospital discharge
Palliative care (PC) is crucial for children with cancer to alleviate suffering and enhance quality of life. However, continuity of pediatric palliative care (PPC) can be disrupted by factors such as lack of knowledge, stigma, bureaucratic hurdles, inadequate referral systems, and staffing shortages. There is limited data on the prevalence and factors associated with non-continuity of PPC in Uganda. This study explores the prevalence and factors …
Medicine (15 works) · Nursing (9 works) · Qualitative research (8 works) · Thematic analysis (8 works) · Economic growth (7 works) · Family medicine (7 works) · Global Maternal and Child Health (7 works) · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (7 works) · Business (6 works) · Environmental health (6 works)