By Patrick Opio
Senior Communications Officer, Lira University
MORE than 400 delegates from across the world including United States of America (USA) and within Uganda, have attended the 3rd International Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Conference held in Gulu City, Uganda.
Lira University and Gulu University hosted, in partnership with the Center for International Reproductive Health Training at the University of Michigan (CIRHT-UM), the colourful event held from 17th to 19th September 2025, with the pre-conference activities taking place on the first day.
The conference aims to address the high incidence of unsafe abortion and the unmet need for effective contraception result in unacceptably high levels of maternal mortality and morbidity in developing countries.
Several presentations and display of electronic posters on research and new innovations on measures and best practices to enhance sexual and reproductive health services in the sub-Saharan Africa, were conducted.
The pre-conference activities implemented on 17th September 2025 were Competency enhancement in family Planning and comprehensive abortion care, Patient-centred Excellence: Driving Quality Improvement in Healthcare settings and Values Clarification and Attitude Transformation (VCAT) for Strengthening SRHR in Pre-Service Training and Clinical care. It was basically about knowledge, skills and experience sharing amongst medical professionals.
The Conference Theme: Improving the Quality of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Through Pre-Service Training, Research, and Evidence-Based Clinical Care Delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The CIRHT was founded with the mission of partnering with academic institutions in developing nations to strengthen their capacity to provide competency-based preservice training in family planning and comprehensive abortion care.
To achieve this, CIRHT focuses on integrating competency-based training in family planning and comprehensive abortion care into the various curricula, enhancing skills training, improving the quality of care in family planning and comprehensive abortion care, and fostering a culture of research and building research capacity in reproductive health.
The main goal is to enable partner institutions to graduate competent health professionals who are able to deliver high-quality, comprehensive reproductive health services to women and girls, ultimately improving access and reducing morbidity and mortality from unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion.
CIRHT is a grant-funded center founded in 2014 by Prof. Senait Fisseha, who was its first executive director. The center was initially housed within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Michigan until July 2017, when CIRHT transitioned to an independent unit under the auspices of Michigan Medicine administration.
CIRHT’s approach aligns with the three functions of academic medical institutions: education, clinical service, and research.
Ms. Anna Grace Auma and Dr. Pebolo Pebalo Francis are the Principal Investigators (PIs) of the CIRHT projects for Lira University and Gulu University respectively.
Dignitaries who addressed the audience included Dr. Tamrat Endale, CIRHT Managing Director, Prof. Owiny Okello, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Gulu University, Assoc. Prof. Okaka Opio Dokotum, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Lira University, Dr. Mekdes Daba, Minister for Health, Ethiopia, Dr. Mugahi Richard, Commissioner Reproductive Health, Ministry of Health-Uganda and Prof. Senait Fisseha from the University of Michigan.
Speakers who discussed the topic “The Role of Research in Enhancing Quality Sexual and Reproductive Health Services” were Ms Chandia Agness, Commissioner Nursing Division, Ministry of Health Uganda, Prof. Celestino Obua, chairperson Uganda National Examinations Board(UNEB), Dr. Annettee Nakimuli, Dean School of Medicine Makerere University and Prof. Madeleine Mukesimana from University of Rwanda.
Among the topics exhaustively discussed by several academicians and health workers included, “Scientific Session on Comprehensive Abortion Care-Oral abstracts,” “Scientific Session on Contraceptive Care-Oral abstracts,” “Quality Improvement in SRHR Services in Sub-Saharan Africa,” “Scientific Session on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights,” “The Role of Training Institutions in Shaping Sexual and Reproductive Health Education and Service Delivery,” and “The Role of Local Leaders and Stakeholders in Improving Maternal and Child Health Indicators in Uganda.”
The project targets the production of competent health care professionals who provide evidence-based Reproductive Health services with compassion.
