Makerere University’s Professor Peter Waiswa has been elected a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (FAAS), one of Africa’s most prestigious scientific honours. The Academy highlighted his outstanding contributions to health systems research, particularly in maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH), noting that his work has informed national, regional, and global policies aimed at reducing maternal and newborn mortality. Waiswa serves as Professor of Health Policy and Systems at Makerere University and leads the university’s Centre of Excellence for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, which he founded. He also heads the INDEPTH Network’s MNCH Working Group. A prolific researcher, Waiswa has authored over 250 scientific papers in leading journals, including The Lancet, making him one of Africa’s most cited MNCH scholars.

 In 2020, Expertscape ranked him among the top 0.22 percent of global authors on infant mortality. He has spearheaded several major initiatives, including the Uganda Newborn Study and national newborn health programmes, which have guided Uganda’s strategies to reduce maternal and newborn deaths. His recent research on digital payment systems for campaign health workers has enhanced accountability in national health campaigns and is informing global discussions at WHO, UNICEF, and the Gates Foundation. Beyond academia, Waiswa co-founded the Busoga Health Forum and established One Village at a Time (OVAAT), a rural development model integrating health, education, environment, and community empowerment in Naigobya village. 

He has also served on Uganda’s National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group and participates in several global expert committees, including WHO panels, Lancet Commissions, and the Countdown to 2030 initiative. 

Original article written by Muhamadi Matovu and published in Nile Post.