Episode 2

S7E2 - The economic impact of NCDs on East African communities

In this week's episode, we will be talking about the economic impact of non-communicable diseases or NCDs on east African communities. Guests include Dr. Steven Waititi, a Patient representative on Respond-Africa Partnership and author of “Conquering HIV and AIDS: My personal experience of living with HIV” and Josephine Birungi, a Senior Research Scientist based at Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute (MRC/UVRI) in Entebbe. They discuss: 

  • Financial/economic barriers for patients and communities affected by NCDs 
  • What having an NCD means for patient finances 
  • How integrated care addresses these problems 

Dr Josephine Birungi

Senior Research Scientist, MRC +UVRI& LSHTM Uganda Research Unit 

Dr Josephine Birungi is a Senior Research Scientist based at Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute (MRC/UVRI) in Entebbe. She is currently working on a number of research project within the Respond Africa Partnership, as study lead in Uganda. Projects include 

INTEAFRICA which is evaluating a novel approach of integrated clinical management of HIV-infection, diabetes, and hypertension in Tanzania and Uganda and INTECOMM which is evaluating community based integrated care for people living with HIV, Diabetes and Hypertension. 

https://inteafrica.org/ 

@josephinebirun1 

Dr Steven Watiti

Patient representative on Respond-Africa Partnership

After studying Medicine at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, Dr. Watiti, was a medical officer, Rubaga Hospital, Kampala from 1985-1988. He practiced medicine privately from 1988-2004 at Entebbe Road clinic and JOY Medical Centre Ndeeba, Kampala. From 2004, he has been working at Mildmay Uganda, a leading HIV and AIDS service organisation. An HIV activist and ardent advocate for improved and sustainable health for all, Dr. Watiti believes with hindsight that he acquired HIV between 1985 and 1986 while working as a junior medical officer. In 2000, he began ARVs after contracting tuberculosis, cancer (Kaposi’s sarcoma), and meningitis. In 2006, he started his weekly column on HIV in New Vision, Uganda’s leading daily newspaper. His column appears Mondays under the heading: “Towards zero: with Doctor Watiti”. He has published two books on HIV: “HIV and AIDS: 100 Commonly Asked Questions” and “Conquering HIV and AIDS: My personal experience of living with HIV”. Dr Waititi works with the Respond Africa partnership as an expert patient ensuring that patient needs, views and voices are heard and considered and addressed when designing and implementing research projects. 

https://inteafrica.org/ 

@WatitiStephen 

About the Podcast

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Connecting Citizens to Science
A Global Health and Development Podcast

About your host

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Kim Ozano

Connecting Citizens to Science is hosted by Dr Kim Ozano and produced by The Stop, Collaborate and Listen Agency. The podcast examines complex health and development challenges worldwide, drawing on Kim’s background in participatory research and health systems.

Through open conversation, it brings together research, practice and lived experience, amplifying the voices of those most affected and exploring how inequities are understood and addressed in real-world settings. Episodes feature community members, health workers, researchers and implementers working on the front lines of change.

Each episode is led by an expert guest co-host who brings subject expertise and contextual insight, while Kim frames the discussion and connects themes across the series.