The Data Sharing Practices and Challenges in Uganda

With the rapid development and increased use of information and communication technology (ICT), the demand for data sharing and reuse is growing even in developing countries. This study aims to contribute to the recently emerging discussions on data sharing in developing countries with a focus on the case of Uganda. The goal of this study is to uncover the current practices of and efforts for data sharing in the public sector in Uganda and to understand the relevant stakeholders’ perceptions of data sharing and reuse practices/services

The Batwa indigenous people in Uganda and their detachment from forest livehood: land eviction and social plight

With an aim of examining consequences of eviction and restriction the Batwa's access to Bwindi and Mgahinga protected areas, the paper reviews available literature on the Batwa indigenous people's statuses, rights and socioeconomic livelihood especially following the 1991 Bwindi and Mgahinga eviction instrument. The review indicates that their eviction exemplified failure by the government to consult, compensate and involve the Batwa community as indigenous people before expropriation of their land. Secondly, the paramilitary nature of eviction disconnected them from their forest dweller lifestyle spontaneously without a clear resettlement plan or restitution agenda. The paper conclusively recommends for further research to evaluate the increasingly contentious competition between conservationism on one hand and upholding the appropriate property rights of indigenous people on the other.Con el fin de examinar las consecuencias de la expulsión de los Batwa y la restricción de acceso que se les impuso a las áreas protegidas Bwindi y Mgahinga, el artículo revisa la literatura disponible sobre el estado de la población indígena Batwa, sus derechos y su sustento socioeconómico básico, especialmente tras la orden de desalojo de Bwindi y Mgahinga en 1991. La revisión indica que su desalojo ejemplifica el fracaso del Gobierno en consultar, compensar e involucrar a la comunidad Batwa como pueblos indígenas antes de la expropiación de sus tierras. En segundo lugar, el carácter paramilitar de su desalojo les desconectó espontáneamente de su estilo de vida forestal y ligado a la tierra sin una agenda clara de reasentamiento o plan de restitución. En el artículo de manera concluyente se recomiendan más investigaciones para evaluar el creciente conflicto entre conservacionismo por un lado y la defensa de los derechos de propiedad de los pueblos indígenas por el otro

The Batwa Indigenous People in Uganda and their Detachment from Forest Livehood: Land Eviction and Social Plight

With an aim of examining consequences of eviction and restriction the Batwa’s access to Bwindi and Mgahinga protected areas, the paper reviews available literature on the Batwa indigenous people’s statuses, rights and socioeconomic livelihood especially following the 1991 Bwindi and Mgahinga eviction instrument. The review indicates that their eviction exemplified failure by the government to consult, compensate and involve the Batwa community as indigenous people before expropriation of their land. Secondly, the paramilitary nature of eviction disconnected them from their forest dweller lifestyle spontaneously without a clear resettlement plan or restitution agenda. The paper conclusively recommends for further research to evaluate the increasingly contentious competition between conservationism on one hand and upholding the appropriate property rights of indigenous people on the other.Published online: 11 December 2017</p

Enhanced infection prophylaxis reduces mortality in severely immunosuppressed HIV-infected adults and older children initiating antiretroviral therapy in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe: the REALITY trial

Meeting abstract FRAB0101LB from 21st International AIDS Conference 18–22 July 2016, Durban, South Africa. Introduction: Mortality from infections is high in the first 6 months of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV‐infected adults and children with advanced disease in sub‐Saharan Africa. Whether an enhanced package of infection prophylaxis at ART initiation would reduce mortality is unknown. Methods: The REALITY 2×2×2 factorial open‐label trial (ISRCTN43622374) randomized ART‐naïve HIV‐infected adults and children >5 years with CD4 <100 cells/mm3. This randomization compared initiating ART with enhanced prophylaxis (continuous cotrimoxazole plus 12 weeks isoniazid/pyridoxine (anti‐tuberculosis) and fluconazole (anti‐cryptococcal/candida), 5 days azithromycin (anti‐bacterial/protozoal) and single‐dose albendazole (anti‐helminth)), versus standard‐of‐care cotrimoxazole. Isoniazid/pyridoxine/cotrimoxazole was formulated as a scored fixed‐dose combination. Two other randomizations investigated 12‐week adjunctive raltegravir or supplementary food. The primary endpoint was 24‐week mortality. Results: 1805 eligible adults (n = 1733; 96.0%) and children/adolescents (n = 72; 4.0%) (median 36 years; 53.2% male) were randomized to enhanced (n = 906) or standard prophylaxis (n = 899) and followed for 48 weeks (3.8% loss‐to‐follow‐up). Median baseline CD4 was 36 cells/mm3 (IQR: 16–62) but 47.3% were WHO Stage 1/2. 80 (8.9%) enhanced versus 108(12.2%) standard prophylaxis died before 24 weeks (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 0.73 (95% CI: 0.54–0.97) p = 0.03; Figure 1) and 98(11.0%) versus 127(14.4%) respectively died before 48 weeks (aHR = 0.75 (0.58–0.98) p = 0.04), with no evidence of interaction with the two other randomizations (p > 0.8). Enhanced prophylaxis significantly reduced incidence of tuberculosis (p = 0.02), cryptococcal disease (p = 0.01), oral/oesophageal candidiasis (p = 0.02), deaths of unknown cause (p = 0.02) and (marginally) hospitalisations (p = 0.06) but not presumed severe bacterial infections (p = 0.38). Serious and grade 4 adverse events were marginally less common with enhanced prophylaxis (p = 0.06). CD4 increases and VL suppression were similar between groups (p > 0.2). Conclusions: Enhanced infection prophylaxis at ART initiation reduces early mortality by 25% among HIV‐infected adults and children with advanced disease. The pill burden did not adversely affect VL suppression. Policy makers should consider adopting and implementing this low‐cost broad infection prevention package which could save 3.3 lives for every 100 individuals treated