By Howard Mwesigwa
As a backdrop, the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) was established in 2002 in Kampala, by the Academic Alliance for AIDS Care and Prevention in Africa, a group of infectious diseases experts from Uganda and North America, with initial support from Pfizer Inc. and other partners.
Through a public-private partnership, the underlying rationale was firstly, to provide excellent care for People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in Uganda. Secondly, to train healthcare workers to serve the tens of millions of PLHIV in Africa. Thirdly, to maintain the strategic emphasis on prevention and ultimately to conduct research relevant to improving the outcome of the epidemic.
In 2004, ownership of the Institute was transferred to Makerere University and the Institute moved into its current building in Makerere University, opposite Mitchell Hall. When the College of Health Sciences (CHS) became functional in Makerere University, 2009, IDI became an integral component of the School of Medicine (SOM) within the College while retaining its autonomous status as a non-profit organisation established within the University.
Over time, IDI has developed strong and enduring links with the Ministry of Health (MoH) through its long term support of MoH facilities in the districts, Regional Referral Hospitals, and MoH headquarters functions, through its contribution to technical working groups, and through the key role played by the Institute in the national referral system.
Recently, the first IDI-sponsored clinical trial on HIV treatment was published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). This is a multi-site study in Uganda, Kenya and Zimbabwe. The Infectious Diseases Institute was the overall coordinating Centre for the study with oversight for the conduct of the entire trial and data management & analysis.
The study findings will likely inform the global World Health Organisation and country guidelines for 2nd Line Antiretroviral Therapy. The successful conduct of this study has paved the way for additional multi-centre, multi-country studies sponsored by the IDI.
