Texas Children's Global Health Baylor Foundation Uganda

Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation Uganda (Baylor Foundation Uganda) is a nationally recognized non-governmental organization established in 2006. As one of Uganda’s largest pediatric and adolescent HIV programs, Baylor Foundation Uganda provides integrated, high-quality HIV prevention, care, and treatment services, alongside reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH), tuberculosis (TB) care, non-communicable disease (NCD) management, and global health security interventions.

The organization operates a Center of Excellence at Mulago National Referral Hospital and extends services to 47 districts and four cities across multiple regions. Through a health systems strengthening approach, it partners with the Ministry of Health and local governments to decentralize HIV services, enhancing accessibility and quality. Key initiatives include health professional training, mentorship, infrastructure development, and community-based programs such as food and nutrition support for vulnerable children.

With funding from PEPFAR/CDC, USAID, Global Fund, and other partners, Baylor-Uganda implements multiple HIV control programs, including Accelerating HIV Epidemic Control (ACE) in Fort Portal and Hoima, and the Local Partner Health Services project in Eastern Uganda. Research is a core pillar, with active clinical trials, including those on pediatric HIV treatment and emerging infectious diseases.

Baylor Foundation Uganda remains committed to strengthening Uganda’s healthcare systems and improving health outcomes through innovation, research, and sustainable partnerships.

2024 at a Glance

19 Years in Operation, Kampala, Uganda

7,197,352 People Reached

3,671 Health Professionals Trained

595 Staff Employed

Voices of Hope: Stories of Strength, Healing, and Resilience

From Despair to Hope: The Story of Teddy Akiiki’s Recovery

A mother’s faith led her to stop HIV treatment—nearly costing her life. With support, she reclaimed her health and hope.

Teddy Akiiki (not her real name) is a resilient single mother from Kakasi parish in Buhanda Sub County, Kamwenge district. Her journey has been one of pain, faith, and ultimately, redemption.

Teddy was first diagnosed with HIV and initiated on treatment in June 2016. But two years later, she made a heartbreaking decision—she stopped taking her medication, convinced that prayer alone would heal her. She left her home for casual work in Kampala, believing she was free from the illness.

When she returned in November 2018, reality struck hard. Her body was frail, covered in painful sores that bled with every movement. She could neither stand nor walk. “I thought it was the end,” she recalls, her voice trembling. “I had lost all hope.”

I Thought It Was the End—Now, I See a Future"

A follow-up team found her in this critical state, and despite initial resistance, their persistence and compassion led her back to care. Her parents, desperate to save her, carried her to Kakasi NGO COUHCIII, where she was re-engaged on ART on February 11, 2019. At just 30 kg, she was admitted for two weeks, her survival uncertain.

But hope is powerful. With treatment, nutritional support, and intensive adherence counseling, Teddy’s health began to turn around. By May, she had gained 5 kg. By June, she weighed 37 kg.

“I never imagined I would stand again, but today, I can walk. I can live,” she says with a renewed spirit.

Teddy’s story is a testament to the power of second chances, the strength of community support, and the life-saving impact of ART. Today, she is not just surviving—she is reclaiming her life.

2024 Annual Report

Explore the achievements, progress, and impact in Baylor Foundation Uganda's latest report.

Read the Report

Notable Programs

Comprehensive HIV Prevention and Treatment

Baylor Foundation Uganda supported 631 health facilities across 47 districts to enhance HIV prevention and treatment efforts. The team expanded surge activities from 49 to 85 sites, improving ART initiation and retention. By year's end, 98% of newly identified HIV-positive individuals were linked to care, and 93% achieved viral load suppression. Targeted testing, community outreach, and immediate ART initiation remained key strategies. Baylor-Uganda continues to strengthen health systems and ensure equitable access to HIV services.

Adolescent Girl And Young Women’s Empowerment Program

The Adolescent Girls and Young Women’s (AGYW) Empowerment Program, supported by the Global Fund through TASO, has expanded its reach across 27 districts in Uganda. This initiative focuses on HIV prevention, sexual and reproductive health education, and economic empowerment to reduce vulnerability among AGYW. The program has established 200 safe community spaces, trained mentor mothers, and engaged local leaders to drive behavior change. Additionally, 2,716 AGYW received vocational and soft skills training, and small-scale business owners benefited from Enterprise Development Assistance (EDA) to enhance financial independence and resilience against HIV.

Orphan & Vulnerable Care (OVC) Program

Baylor Foundation Uganda’s Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) program, funded by PEPFAR/CDC, continued to enhance the health, safety, and stability of children affected by HIV in the Rwenzori region and Kampala. Through a multi-sectoral approach, the program strengthened 19 Community-Based Organizations and engaged 267 para-social workers across six districts. In FY 2022/23, 44,495 OVCs received essential health, education, and protection services, with 99% achieving targeted support. Additionally, 10,806 OVCs received food and nutrition services, and 1,609 graduated out of vulnerability.

TB/HIV Program

Baylor Foundation Uganda, through its ACE-Fort project, has strengthened TB/HIV services by enhancing case detection, linkage to care, and treatment outcomes. The foundation improved TB case notification in the Fort Portal region by implementing an intensified case-finding strategy, rolling out an updated TB curriculum across 140 ART-providing health facilities, and scaling up TB preventive therapy over 100 days. Additionally, mentorship and supportive supervision were conducted across 97 district TB treatment units, significantly improving patient adherence and overall TB treatment success rates.

National HIV/AIDS/TB Call Center

The National HIV/AIDS/TB Call Center, an initiative of the Ministry of Health (MoH) supported by CDC and Baylor Foundation Uganda, continues to provide 24/7 technical assistance to health workers and clients across the country. The center offers real-time consultations on HIV/AIDS and TB treatment and management, facilitates HIV self-testing, and supports recruitment in prevention studies. Additionally, it plays a crucial role in Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) services. Over the past year, the Call Center handled 3,920 inquiries from both health workers and clients, reinforcing its role as a critical support system for HIV and TB care.

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Leadership & Partnerships

Leadership

Dithan Kiragga, M.B.Ch.B., MPH, MSc

Executive Director

Dr. Peter Elyanu
Director - Research and Knowledge Management

Dr. Paul Tumbu
Director -Program

Ms. Marie Solome Nassiwa
Director - Finance

Dr. Peter Wasswa
Medical Director – Pediatric Hematology & Oncology

Dr. Leticia Namale
Director – Health Systems Strengthening

Mr. Albert Maganda Koma
Director – Strategic Development, M&E

Mr. Peter Mugagga
Head – Operations

Mr. Lino Nyingaling
Head – Internal Audit

Mr. Julius Byamukama
Head – Human Resources

Partnerships

Government & Public Health Organizations

Uganda Ministry of Health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)

Global Fund

UNICEF

World Health Organization (WHO)

Uganda AIDS Commission

National Medical Stores

National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services (NHLDS)

Uganda Revenue Authority (URA)

Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS)

Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council

Academic & Research Institutions

Makerere University (MAKChs)

Division of AIDS (DAIDS)

Medical Research Council (MRC) – UK

H3Africa

Karolinska Institutet – Sweden

Yale School of Medicine

Johns Hopkins University

Rutgers University

University of California

University of Ottawa

University of Iowa

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)

Paediatric European Network for Treatment of AIDS (PENTA)

HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN)

TB Union – France

South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Swedish Research Council

Pharmaceutical & Industry Partners

ViiV Healthcare

Sanofi Pasteur

Gilead Sciences

Janssen Pharmaceuticals

Non-Governmental & Philanthropic Organizations

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)

Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi)

The ELMA Foundation

The American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA)

Every Mother Counts

Abbott Fund

Serious Fun Children’s Network

Clinton Foundation

Other Collaborations

Baylor College of Medicine & Texas Children’s Hospital

FHI 360

European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP)

International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

CIPHER – Switzerland

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and Uganda National Council for Science and Technology

Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs)

Featured Stories

Global Health symposium draws more than 500 participants for an exchange of ideas on innovation

Texas Children’s Global Health Network, in partnership with the Baylor College of Medicine, hosted its first-ever virtual Research. Art. Innovation. Scholarship. Education (RAISE) Symposium from June 28 to July 2, drawing more than 500 registered participants from more than 20 countries across the world.

Texas Children’s physician awarded grant to partner with fellow nephrologists in Uganda

After being awarded a grant to help nurture partnerships between kidney centers in low-resource and high-income countries, Texas Children’s physician Dr. Peace Imani is collaborating with colleagues in Uganda to raise awareness and improve care for patients and families facing childhood kidney disease.

Let’s not forget the most vulnerable children around the globe in the COVID-19 pandemic

Even if children are largely spared from COVID-19 direct effects, the pandemic will still cause long-lasting indirect impacts on children globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.