21 Uganda health ministry staff enrolled for Growing Expertise in E-Health Knowledge and Skills Fellowship
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AFENET
The third Cohort of the Growing Expertise in E-Health Knowledge and Skills (GEEKS) Fellowship is officially underway in Uganda and the 21 enrolled fellows have successfully completed the first of two planned levels.
Led by the Health ministry, the GEEKS Fellowship is administered in conjunction with the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Fellowship aims to create national capacity in digital health innovation and data-driven immunization program improvement.
Cohort 3 is running under the theme: “Strengthening Immunization Defaulter Tracking for the Malaria Vaccine and Routine Immunization in Uganda.” The theme was prompted by April 2025 rollout of the R21-Matrix/M Malaria Vaccine in Uganda.
According to the GEEKS Coordinator at AFENET Mr. Robinson Amanyiraho, the current GEEKS Cohort will focus on building and expanding digital solutions that enhance defaulter tracking and improve vaccine completion timeliness.
“Fellows will explore practical applications of the Tickler System, successfully piloted in Luwero District, which supports defaulter management at lower-level health facilities through structured follow-up tools,” revealed Mr. Amanyiraho on November 13. “In higher-level facilities, participants will leverage enhanced EMR/eAFYA systems that integrate automated SMS reminders for caregivers of children who miss scheduled doses.”
EMR and eAFYA systems are digital platforms for managing patient health information.
Through this cohort, Mr. Amanyiraho further averred that GEEKS continues to equip health professionals to use data, digital technologies, and design thinking to close the vaccination gap and accelerate progress toward universal vaccine access.
Speaking at the completion of the Tier 1 workshop on November 13, 2025, Mr. Albert Besigye, the UNEPI Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist, urged the fellows to work towards contributing to the successful implementation of the country’s malaria vaccination initiative.
We caught up with two fellows [Dr Mutegeki Micheal and Ms Sylvia Iradukunda] and below are their reflections following their successful completion of Tier 1:
Dr. Mutegeki Micheal Interview Ms. Sylvia Iradukunda Interview
