Uganda faces problems of rapid population growth and low contraceptive prevalence, as well as reproductive health problems including sexually transmitted diseases, genital tract infections, and a generalized HIV epidemic. The Institute of Public Health (IPH) and Department of Population Studies (DPS) at Makerere University have collaborated with the Department of Population and Family Health Sciences and the NIH- funded Population Center at Johns Hopkins and Columbia Universities, collaborated on the Rakai Project, and conducted population-based epidemiologic, demographic, behavioral and biomedical studies in rural Rakai District, southwestern Uganda. The Rakai Project currently has several NIH grants (RO1s and UO1s), and has benefitted from Fogarty Foundation funding. This proposal builds on our prior Fogarty support to continue builds Population and Health research and training at Makerere University. Three previous Fogarty Masters graduates will complete doctoral training, and 3 new candidates will complete masters training at JHU. These graduates will develop Advanced Research Training proposals on their return to Uganda. We also propose 7 short-term trainees (5 in population/reproductive health, and 2 in laboratory methods). On their return, trainees will rotate through the Rakai Project field site and other field projects, to obtain practical experience. There will be 8 postdoctoral Fellows (3 research Fellows, 3 teaching Fellows to work on training and curriculum development for Makerere, and 2 clinical Fellows in reproductive health). We propose 5 in-country workshops to develop research training and curriculum development for Makerere, and a Conference in Year 5 to disseminate research findings. The program will be coordinated with other JHU Fogarty programs, the JHU Gates Institute (which will provide cost-sharing), and the JHU Mellon Distance Learning Program to facilitate internet access and transfer of training materials. The US and Uganda-based training, research and curriculum development will enhance development of and coordination between DPS and IPH, to provide an integrated long-term, self-replicating program of Population and Reproductive Health in Uganda. The goal is to establish a critical mass of researchers and trainers in Uganda who will sustain training programs submit high quality NIH research proposals, and conduct independent research. Ultimately, we see Uganda and Makerere University providing a resource for regional research training in Africa.
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