Background

Child Health and Development Centre (CHDC) is a multidisciplinary/multi-Sectoral institution research and training institution under the College of Health Sciences, Makerere University.   Its mission is to build capacity and take university expertise to the people for health and social development. It conducts academic and applied research in partnership with the public and private sector so as to inform policy and offer training for capacity building.  The Centre was established in 1989 within the faculty of medicine and was endorsed by the University Senate in 1990.  It is situated at Makerere Medical School, Old Mulago near Ward 16 and the Paediatric Infectious Disease Clinic (PIDC) [Ward 15].

Objectives

CHDC has three main objectives;

• Promoting University-Community-Government collaboration to develop and evaluate community-based strategies for health improvement.
• promoting interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral collaboration for experiential training; and
• promoting widespread proficiency in relevant operational research;

The centre provides a flexible and neutral unit within the university in which the staff and students with common goals in children and women welfare research can learn and participate on an equal basis.

Mandate and services by the centre
The centre is mandated to conduct Applied and basic research, Training, outreach and consultancy.  

Organization Capacity

The CHDC has the manpower and infrastructure to meet its objectives

1.  Manpower
CHDC staff provides expertise on many health and development issues, including; conducting and teaching quantitative and qualitative research; conducting and teaching participatory research; health information systems and the application of information to action; child Nutrition,reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS; health financing.

2. Computer laboratory
The Centre has modern computer facilities that are used for management of large databases.  The centre also has up-to-date software for both qualitative and quantitative data management.   Some computers may be made available for field data entry (See also)

3. Resource centre/Library
The CHDC runs a resource centre/Library with substantial collection of both published and grey literature on the health situation of women and children in Uganda.  These resources are collected and updated during research and training activities carried out by CHDC staff.  The Library has subscribed to a number of international social science and medical journals and has a 24-hour Internet access to online journals and other electronic resources such as PERI project connection that have free access to at least 3000 medical journals.

4. Researchers Database
The CHDC maintains a researcher database with information on persons who have done and are willing to do research through the Centre. This database is regularly updated and used to identify good researchers.

5. Machines Room
The CHDC has a reprographic unit with facilities for bulk photocopying of reading and training materials, in-house printing and binding of documents.

6.  Vehicles
The CHDC has four-wheel drive vehicles suitable for upcountry activities.

Staff structure

Core Established Staff
The Director is the Academic and Administrative head of the Centre. Technically, the Centre has three operational arms namely: 1) technical, 2) technical support service, and 3) administrative arm.  The technical arm has three sections; research section, training section and community section, all headed by section heads (senior lecturers).
The technical support service section has a computer management section managed by a statistician, and a library and information section managed by a librarian.
An Administrative Assistant heads the Administrative department.  The other staffs include; a senior accounts clerk, a personal secretary, a copy typist, three drivers and three guards and two messengers/cleaners.

Associate staff
The Centre has a provision for associate staff as coordinators on secondiment from collaborating University departments from various disciplines.  The Centre also has the mandate to co-opt other members of staff from any discipline at the university

Affiliated staff
The Centre utilizes researchers as affiliate staff members.  Their services are requested for specific research and training carried out by the centre.

Key activities

The main activities at the Centre are:

1. To teach, provide experiential training and support in applied health research to University staff and students as well as Government ministries, Community Based Organisation and Non-Governmental Organizations.
2. To provide support and build skills for applied health research for University staff from health-related departments;
3. To provide support and build skills for applied health research for government ministry staff, Community based organisations and Non-Governmental-Organisations.
4. To provide a platform for interdisciplinary teams to work together on health research with communities;
5. Conduct collaborative research with other institutions as well as conduct commissioned research;
6. Support dissemination of research findings to international and national researchers and research users;
7. Conduct tailored seminars, workshops and courses for researchers, policy makers and implementers.  Examples include: 

• Introduction to Medical Anthropology and Anthropological research design
• Introduction to Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Epidemiological study design and analysis
• Health Systems Research Methodology Training Workshops for District Personnel
• Nutrition Research Methodology
• Communication in Nutrition Training Workshop
• Introductory Gender Training Workshop and Training of Trainers Workshop for Researchers and Field Practitioners
• National dissemination seminars include: 1) Health Care Financing Dissemination Seminars 2) Maternal Mortality Dissemination Seminars.

Funding resources
The Centre has been able to develop and achieve its objectives through external financial support and some of the funders include:  

• Makerere University 1987- to present in terms of staff salaries for the core staff.
• DANIDA through TORCH Project 1994 to 2007 which was funding activities, programs, training of staff and salaries for attached staff.  
• SIDA through UNICEF 1994-1996 supporting activities, programs and salary for  attached staff
• UNICEF 1990-1994 supporting administrative expenses, salary top-up for staff and capacity building for staff
• FINNIDA through UNICEF 1989-1990 supporting programs, activities and community training
• MOST a micro nutrient program support programs, salaries for promoting nutrition (1998-2005)
• I@mak that supported research and training districts in HMIS and decentralisationt (2001-2002).

With the end of direct external donor support and meagre government grants, the Centre has built capacity for a self-sustaining resource base through carrying out commissioned studies and consultancies.  For example the center has carried out numerous activities/studies for many different international and national agencies which include; AMREF-Uganda, PATH, CARE International (U), Christian Children Fund (CCF), DANIDA, Delivery of Improved Services for Health (DISH), Department For International Development (DFID), GOAL (Ireland), GTZ, OXFAM, RUWASA, SIDA, Support for Analysis and Research in Africa (SARA/AED), USA, UNICEF, USAID, WHO/TDR, Women Infant Nutrition (WINS/AED), World Bank, and World Vision.  Government Ministries that have used our expertise include the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development