The association is actively advancing efforts to formalize a partnership with universities, including Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mountains of the Moon University, and Seeta University, to establish a Bachelor of Science in occupational therapy education program in Uganda. This move will expand local training capacity and strengthen the workforce.
This strategic initiative is expected to expand national training capacity, strengthen the occupational therapy workforce, and contribute to addressing the critical shortage of rehabilitation professionals in Uganda.
The Association continues to engage key stakeholders, including the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), WFOT, development partners, and professional bodies, to ensure that the emerging programs meet national accreditation standards and align with international best practices. Alongside this, UAOT is sustaining strong advocacy efforts to increase recognition of occupational therapy within the health, education, and humanitarian sectors.
We celebrate Mr. Ekwan Francis UZU for completing his PhD in South Africa. His achievement boosts our academic leadership and gives our members a strong model of professional growth.
We appreciate the continued support from the Elizabeth Casson Trust. Their sponsorship has helped many members complete their BSc studies at Presbyterian University in Kenya. Their contribution has raised the academic profile of the profession in Uganda. We also note the introduction of the MSc program that will soon be training several of our members. This milestone increases advanced practice skills across the country.
Our teams marked World Occupational Therapy Day with activities in Jinja. We partnered with the community, promoted awareness, and offered practical support. The outreach strengthened our ties with local leaders and highlighted the impact of occupational therapy in daily life. The team aims to celebrate World Occupational Therapy Day in different district hospitals across the country. This majorly drives us to achieve awareness of OT practice among potential service users, policymakers, medical professionals, and other collaborators. All Occupational Therapists are involved in activities such as awareness band match, health education, and hands-on intervention with direct service users. This has brought enormous success in achieving our Goal.
These achievements reflect steady progress in education, leadership, and community engagement in UAOT thus far.