Ndejje University

IntroductionPre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use among cisgender female sex workers (FSWs), a population at disproportionately high HIV acquisition risk in Uganda, remains suboptimal. Uptake and continued use are constrained by barriers, such as limited clinical hours, long distances to access facility-based PrEP services, and high mobility among FSWs. Community pharmacies may offer a more accessible PrEP delivery model due to extended operating hours and convenient locations. This study aims to evaluate the accessibility and capacity of pharmacies in Kampala, Uganda, to serve as potential sites for PrEP delivery.Methods and analysisWe will conduct a concurrent mixed-methods study combining geospatial mapping, structured surveys, a discrete choice experiment (DCE), and in-depth interviews (IDIs). First, the study will compare the reach and accessibility of PrEP services through community pharmacies versus public healthcare facilities. To highlight PrEP service reach, we will use geospatial analysis to map pharmacies, PrEP clinics, FSW hotspots (i.e., areas where sex is exchanged), and HIV incidence. We will also calculate a PrEP facility needs ratio (number of PrEP facilities/HIV incidence) for each of Kampala’s administrative divisions and estimate travel distance and time to access PrEP services using cost–distance analysis. Perceived accessibility of PrEP services will be assessed through FSW surveys (n=50) and IDIs (n=20–30), guided by Levesque’s framework. Then, we will evaluate pharmacy capacity via surveys (n=274) and IDIs (n=20–30), exploring infrastructure, resources, and staff perspectives, informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Additionally, a DCE will be embedded in the pharmacy survey to elicit staff preferences for delivery approaches and analysed using mixed logit models. Finally, we will integrate quantitative and qualitative findings to provide a broad assessment of whether pharmacies are suitable venues for PrEP delivery to FSWs in Kampala. Enrolment will begin by April 2026 for FSWs and July 2026 for pharmacy staff.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been obtained from the Infectious Diseases Institute Research Ethics Committee (IDI-REC-2025-175) and the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (HS6178ES). Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants. We will disseminate study findings through stakeholder meetings, scientific conferences, and peer-reviewed publications.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health challenge in Uganda. As countries strive toward the End TB targets – a 90% reduction in TB deaths and an 80% reduction in TB incidence by 2030, timely data-driven insights are critical for guiding effective responses, particularly in the post-COVID-19 context. This study analysed district-level TB case notification data from January 2020 to February 2025, sourced from the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Programme (NTLP). We applied temporal trend analysis, spatial autocorrelation, hotspot and emerging hotspot detection, and forest-based space-time forecasting to assess past patterns and project incidence through February 2026. TB notifications increased sharply from 29,640 cases in 2020 to 72,768 in 2024, with case notification rates rising from 71.3 to 158.5 per 100,000 population. Spatial analysis revealed persistent clustering in northeastern Uganda (notably Moroto and Nakapiripirit), districts bordering Lake Victoria (e.g., Mukono, Buikwe, Buvuma), and emerging clusters in oil-rich Lake Albert regions. Cold spots were consistently identified in eastern and southwestern Uganda. Forecasts suggest a continued high burden in these same areas. By identifying stable, emerging and projected TB clusters, this study offers actionable insights to guide targeted interventions, optimize surveillance, and inform strategic planning. These findings provide a data-driven pathway toward accelerating Uganda’s progress toward its End TB commitments. Not applicable.

Artificial Intelligence is the new dynamic to transform countries which are optimistic of its benefits and integration into different day to day operations of activities in all sectors as its advancements on how activities and operations are done expresses a superhuman performance. It is a kick start for another phase of global transformation driven by technology of artificial intelligence, but African and Uganda in specific is not yet prepared to embrace this trend with little being done to invest in the new technology and its development. Different countries in the first and second world have invested billions and billion of dollars into artificial

PurposeCurrently, consumers of financial products and services have become more vulnerable to predatory financial institutions, especially in the aftermath of Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, financial consumers like the persons with disabilities (PWDs) should be equipped with knowledge and skills to help them to evaluate complex financial products on offer in financial markets, especially in developing countries to avoid being victims of fraudulent lending. The purpose of this study is to establish whether customized financial literacy mediates the relationship between financial consumer protection and financial inclusion of PWDs’ owned MSMEs in rural Uganda post Covid-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachSmartPLS 4.0 was used to construct the measurement and structural equation models to test whether customized financial literacy significantly mediates the relationship between financial consumer protection and financial inclusion of PWDs’ owned MSMEs in rural Uganda post Covid-19 pandemic.FindingsThe results revealed a partial mediating effect of customized financial literacy in the relationship between financial consumer protection and financial inclusion of PWDs’ owned MSMEs in rural Uganda post Covid-19 pandemic. Conducting customized financial literacy increases financial consumer protection by 12 percentage points to promote financial inclusion of PWDs’ owned MSMEs in rural Uganda post Covid-19 pandemic.Research limitations/implicationsThis study focused only on customized financial literacy and financial consumer protection to promote universal financial inclusion of PWDs’ owned MSMEs post Covid-19 pandemic. Future studies may use data collected from other vulnerable groups amongst the unbanked population in developing countries, Uganda inclusive. In addition, this study also collected only quantitative data from the selected population. Further studies can be conducted using key informant interviews and focused group discussion to get the perceptions of the PWDs on being protected from exploitation by unscrupulous financial institutions.Practical implicationsThe findings from this study can help policymakers in developing countries like Uganda to revise the existing consumer protection law to include strong clauses on protection of people with special needs like the PWDs. The law must ensure that they are not exploited by financial institutions because of their conditions. The law ought to make sure that the PWDs are educated about their rights in the financial market place and all information on financial products offered by financial institutions should be simplified and interpreted to them before they make consumption decisions.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, the present study is amongst the first few studies to provide a meticulous and unique discourse on the ever increasing role of financial literacy combined with consumer protection to reduce consumption risks within the financial markets, especially in developing countries in the aftermath of global pandemic shocks. This study uses the social learning theory, theory of reasoned action and theory of planned behaviour to elucidate how customized financial literacy can enhance consumer protection to increase financial inclusion of groups with special needs like the PWDs who have become more susceptible to exploitation by unscrupulous financial institutions in under-developed financial markets, especially in post Covid-19 pandemic.

Background Through experience and research, the Uganda government perceived the HIV/AIDS pandemic as a multi-dimensional problem and practically demonstrated that multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary interventions are the best approaches to address this. This calls for collaborative efforts among all stakeholders with respect to their mandates, areas of comparative advantage and expertise. In this study, we explored the role of ‘spaces for community dialogues’ among adults and children in the collective identification, sharing and mitigation of HIV/AIDS concerns in Uganda. Methods This was an ethnographic study conducted between 2009 and 2015 in two purposively selected districts most hit by HIV/AIDS. We employed multiple data collection methods, including participant observation, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, participatory rural appraisal and key informant interviews. Ethics clearance was obtained from Makerere University, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and from the two social support agencies. Data were synthesised and analysed using thematic analysis. Results Findings show that bazaars, mother or father talks, testing sites and regular spaces, banana beer parties, village meetings, school settings, and community events provided safe environments for interaction about HIV/AIDS concerns among children and adults. Children expressed their views through visual techniques with the support of adults. The use of catalysts facilitated effective interactions by harmonizing experiences of those directly impacted by HIV/AIDS and those providing the needed helping skills. Conclusion Dialogue is an act of creations that cannot be consumed by participants. Spaces for dialogue are real sites that societies use in their daily interactions. Children are active participants in the struggle to mitigate the adverse effects of HIV/AIDS. Despite differences in ways of sharing messages, spaces in a community settings were deemed appropriate for dialogue on HIV/AIDS issues.

Nowadays, e-commerce industry in India, emerges one of the largest growing retail industries in India, during the period of pandemic almost all the sectors or business operations remain closed, but e-commerce industry providing all essential goods and services to the people of India by following COVID related guidelines. Therefore, people of India relying on e-commerce industry instead of local retail market and outcomes of that, e-commerce industry in India increased by 21.5% in 2022 and reaching US $ 74.8 billion. It is also expected that e-commerce industry will grow 84% to $ 111 billion by 2024 as well as US $ 350 billion by 2030. This is the sign of growing and development of e-commerce industry in India. About 830 million (2021) of people using smartphones in India and e-commerce industry is also mainly driven by mobile shopping, social media, etc. So, it is predicted that mobile shopping is increase by 21% annually in next four years. As per the data available 40% of people using mobile wallets, 15% Credit Cards, 15% Debit cards and remaining using other payment system for shopping, this payment mode is also playing vital role in the growth of e-commerce industry in India. Because currently e-commerce industry is not limited up to traditional website, e-commerce players or retailers develops their smartphone-based applications to ease of access and shopping, this system helps to grow number of users of application and it will be converted in to end user or consumer. Therefore, it is become necessary to study the growth and development of e-commerce industry in post pandemic era in India.

Introduction: The main aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between employee participation in decision-making and the performance of organizations. The objectives of the study were; to examine the influence of consultative participation in decision-making on performance. Methodology: The study adopted both descriptive and correlational survey research designs based on a quantitative method of data. The study population was 132 out of which a sample of 118 respondents was selected as the study sample and it was randomly selected. Questionnaires and interviews were used as data collection methods. Results: The results of the study revealed a strong positive and significant correlation between consultative decision-making and performance (r= 0.651, p=0.000). Conclusion: The findings of the study indicated that consultations within organizations are the most required strategy of decision-making within public institutions like KCCA in Uganda. Recommendation: The study recommends that KCCA should focus on improving the working schedules to make them more flexible as this increases the commitment of employees.

Natural resources are rapidly deteriorating due to factors such as rapid population growth, technological developments, and changes in consumption habits, with increasing harm from electronic wastes (e-waste). E-plastics alone make up to 21% of the e-waste collected globally, and their management or recycling is a growing concern as they pose detrimental effects on the environment and public health. Construction industry is continuously adopting e-plastic waste for use as aggregate or fiber in concrete. Several studies have been conducted to test the applicability and properties of the resultant concrete when e-plastic is used as a partial substitute material for both coarse and fine aggregate in concrete of various grades. The results have yielded positive outcomes as well as criticisms. Therefore, this chapter presents an overview of published research regarding the physical properties of e-plastic aggregate and its potential use as replacement for coarse aggregate in concrete, clearly highlighting the effects of e-plastic waste on the physical, mechanical, durability, and thermal properties of concrete. The effects were found to be dependent on the type and characteristics of the e-plastic aggregate, the replacement rates, concrete grade, and the use of additives like superplasticizers and fly ash. Therefore, it is recommended that for use as an aggregate in concrete, the e-plastic waste ought to have a high specific gravity, low water absorption levels, and favorable and comparable abrasion resistance, crushing, and impact value to natural coarse aggregates.