MAKERERE UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR HEALTH AND POPULATION RESEARCH (MUCHAP): Operating “The Iganga-Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance Site” , is a corporate organ of Makerere University, and a registered body-corporate, a company limited by guarantee, without having share capital. MUCHAP is governed by a Board of Directors and this is the supreme policy making body of the organization with representation from different stakeholders, including Makerere University, Ministry of Health, Uganda Bureau of Statistics, representation of the International researchers, Development partners, host districts of Iganga/Mayuge and the Private Sector. MUCHAP was registered in 2015 and it operates the Iganga-Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance Site (IMHDSS) which is a member of the INDEPTH Network.
The establishment of MUCHAP as a legal entity/company of Makerere University implies that it has flexibility to determine and drive its research agenda, has the mandate to unilaterally enter into collaboration with potential research and development partners or organizations, determine and manage human resources needs and related matters among other things.
The MUCHAP Population Cohort (IMHDSS) is a community-based open cohort for research and research training established by Makerere University in 2004. The Centre has sustained good relations with the host districts, and, for over 15 years, the Iganga district health office offered free office space for field operations until 2020 when the Centre relocated to its new premises.
OUR MISSION
To promote the wellbeing of the Ugandan population through generation and provision of high quality population based demographic, health, and socio-economic information to decision makers and researchers.
OUR VISION
To become a Centre of excellence in conducting multi-disciplinary policy relevant research and research training.
OUR CORE VALUES
1) Conduct high quality and ethical research and training,
2) Integrity,
3) Transparency and accountability,
4) Loyalty to host community and confidentiality of personal data,
5) Sensitivity to community values and needs,
6) Timely decision making and action.
The Mandate
- To register and monitor health and demographic dynamics in the catchment population (births, deaths, migration) while creating an environment for several community-based projects for single or multi-disciplinary research,
- To provide a platform for training in applied field research and practical health, agro-social economic and demographic survey methods to students, staff of academic institutions, as well as other researchers with and outside Uganda, and
- To provide a platform for trials that can test and measure the efficacy/ effectiveness of population level interventions,
- To provide essential household level information tailored for policy, planning and research needs, and
- To continuously engage policy makers so as get guidance on research evidence needs by policy makers, and to maximize utilization of research findings at the center
