Our Story
The Rakai Health Sciences Program (RHSP) origins can be traced to 1982, when a devastating new illness characterized by profound weight loss was recognized in Rakai District, particularly among fishing communities along the shores of Lake Victoria. Local health workers called the mysterious condition "Slim disease." At Makerere University, clinical investigations of these patients were led by Dr. David Serwadda and Dr. Nelson Sewankambo, who, in partnership with distinguished international collaborators Professor Maria Wawer of Columbia University and Ron Gray of Johns Hopkins University and Uganda Virus Research Institute, established the Rakai Project in 1988.
What began as an emergency response to an emerging epidemic has evolved into one of Africa's leading research institutions, dedicated to improving health through scientific discovery, innovation, healthcare delivery, and community partnership.
Our Impact
Since 1988, RHSP has transformed scientific evidence into better health outcomes for communities in Uganda and around the globe.
Research conducted through RHSP has fundamentally changed the global response to HIV/AIDS. Landmark discoveries from Rakai demonstrated the effectiveness of voluntary medical male circumcision in reducing HIV acquisition, the role of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in preventing HIV transmission, and the impact of comprehensive HIV prevention strategies. These findings have informed national policies and international guidelines, including those of the World Health Organization (WHO), contributing significantly to reductions in new HIV infections worldwide.
Since our establishment, RHSP has grown beyond its original HIV focus to address tuberculosis, emerging infectious diseases, reproductive health, adolescent health, non-communicable diseases, implementation science, and population health. In addition to research, RHSP provides comprehensive HIV prevention, care and treatment services, laboratory diagnostics, disease surveillance, and health systems strengthening across the greater Masaka region.
From a small research initiative in Rakai, RHSP has grown into a globally respected institution whose work continues to improve the health and well-being of millions.
Our Partnerships
Collaboration has been the cornerstone of RHSP's success since its inception.
Our founding partnership between Makerere University, the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), Columbia University, and Johns Hopkins University established a model for collaborative research that continues to define RHSP today.
For nearly four decades, these partnerships have advanced scientific discovery, strengthened laboratory capacity, supported ethical research oversight, and trained generations of Ugandan scientists, clinicians, and public health professionals.
Today, RHSP continues to collaborate with leading academic institutions, governments, research organizations, and global funders, including the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), universities across the world, and national. Together, these partnerships ensure that scientific discoveries translate into evidence-based policies and improved health outcomes both nationally and globally.
Our Research Excellence
RHSP is internationally recognized for conducting rigorous, community-centered research that addresses some of the world's most pressing public health challenges.
At the heart of our research is the Rakai Community Cohort Study (RCCS), one of the world's longest-running population-based cohort studies. For more than three decades, the RCCS has generated invaluable data on HIV transmission, treatment, demographic change, reproductive health, and emerging public health issues, serving as a unique platform for multidisciplinary research.
Building on this foundation, RHSP conducts research across HIV, tuberculosis, viral diseases, reproductive and maternal health, adolescent health, implementation science, genomics, and population health. Our scientists work closely with communities to ensure that research addresses real-world health needs while maintaining the highest standards of scientific integrity and ethical conduct.
Since its establishment, RHSP has contributed to nearly 600 peer-reviewed scientific publications, helping shape health policy, strengthen healthcare systems, and advance scientific knowledge worldwide.
As we look to the future, RHSP remains committed to generating evidence that saves lives, informing policies that improve health, and training the next generation of African scientists and public health leaders.