Higher Education’s Role in Reimagining Primary Healthcare

Category

Spotlight

Pillar

Network Learning & Development

Amid shifting global dynamics, higher education institutions have a powerful opportunity to lead a new era of innovation in primary healthcare (PHC) systems. In the next episode of the Health in Africa Series, we explore practical strategies that academic institutions can apply to strengthen PHC systems, especially in resource-constrained settings. 

Join Dr. Patrick Tumusiime Kagurusi, Medical Doctor, Public Health Specialist, and Country Manager at Amref Health Africa in Uganda, as he shares bold insights to help transform academic institutions into hubs of innovation, resilience and community-driven action. 

What you’ll learn: 

• How academic institutions can become innovation hubs for sustainable PHC 

• How to modernize education with interdisciplinary, systems-based learning 

• Ways to strengthen partnerships with government, communities and civil society 

• How to leverage technology and lifelong learning for real-world impact 

Who should tune in? 

✅ Leaders of schools of public health 
✅ Curriculum developers and health educators
✅ Health policymakers and program implementers ✅ Global health partners and funders  ✅ Students and future health leaders 

The Speaker:

Dr Patrick Kagurusi, MPH, HCMTC, MBCHB, Medical Doctor, Public Health Specialist Country Manager, Amref Health Africa in Uganda

Dr. Kagurusi is an accomplished public health specialist with 20 years of experience in leadership roles within the Primary healthcare (PHC) sectors of low & middle-income countries. His expertise spans Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAHN), Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), and HIV prevention. Currently, he leads a six-year Integrated Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR) Programme in Uganda’s high-burden districts, focused on empowering young people, women, men, and individuals with disabilities to access their SRHR free from violence.

As the Country Director for Amref Health Africa in Uganda, he has championed the rollout of the 2022 National Community Health Strategy and facilitated the registration and support of over 30,000 Community Health Workers (CHWs). He advocates for domestic financing for community health and the DESC (Digitization, Equipping, Supervision, and Compensation) approach for CHWs.

Dr. Kagurusi has also been influential in family planning and reproductive health programs across East, Central, and Southern Africa, and has held significant roles at Makerere University School of Public Health, a PNFP Mission Hospital, and within local government and refugee emergencies in Uganda. With a foundation in human medicine and public health, he is dedicated to improving health outcomes for communities in Uganda and beyond. 

About Amref Health Africa
Amref Health Africa, headquartered in Kenya, is the largest Africa-based international health and development organization providing training and health services to over 20 million people annually in at least 30 countries in Africa. Amref continues to evolve and innovate its approaches to increase sustainable health access among communities.
Amref manages a full range of medical and public health programmes tackling the continent’s most critical health challenges – including global health emergencies, communicable and non-communicable diseases, neglected tropical diseases, maternal and childcare, water, sanitation, and climate change. Much of our credibility with local communities and African governments stems from the relationship and trust we have built over the past 65 years. For more information, visit www.amref.org.