Our mission is to improve patient outcomes in Uganda.
To achieve that mission, we conduct research on how to empower health workers to address local health problems in innovative ways, and then collaborate with the Ministry of Health to scale what works.
About
Walimu is a leading research and policy advocacy organization in Uganda. Our team of over 150, all Ugandan, implements studies alongside a global team of research scientists and then scales successful interventions nationwide.
Our work is made possible by a diverse set of funders, including GIZ, USAID, WHO, NIH, UBC and more.
Health workers first model
Through our experience working in Uganda over the decades, we learned that critical to the success of any project is centering health workers. Successful programs enhance the work health providers are already doing; they don’t seek to duplicate or replace it.
This philosophy permeates our work; our projects empower health workers with relevant knowledge, modern tools and uplifting work environments. We often use continuous quality improvement to achieve and sustain change.
Relevant research
Unlike traditional research management organizations, we have a policy translation goal for each project.
We primarily take on projects that both aim to improve patient care and have a path to scale through the Ministry of Health, World Health Organization or non-governmental partners. A limited number of projects are innovation-focused and a step removed from a direct policy goal.
Our philosophy is that a satisfactory endpoint for research is not a publication, but rather a change practices that ultimately improves patient outcomes.
Our history
Walimu was founded in 2010 and incorporated as a NGO in Uganda in 2013. At the time, our founders were discovering effective methods for improving patient health; however, the traditional way that research was funded often meant these findings languished.
We got together and came up with a solution: an NGO that focused both on implementation science research (in other words, how to make things actually work) and on policy translation (leveraging science and relationships to get systems to change).
Program areas
Care of the Hospitalized Patient
We increase the survival of children and adults who present to the hospital with sepsis or other severe illnesses. We do so by testing and implementing innovations in triage, management and post-discharge care.
Global Health Security
We improve capacity to effectively detect and respond to diseases of epidemic potential.
Health Systems Strengthening
We work with Ministry and WGO to advance their priorities for the health system.
Tuberculosis Diagnostics and Treatment
We improve diagnosis and management of tuberculosis.
Core values
- Evidence as the core of our work
- Excellence in all we do
- Innovation in addressing local health problems
- Integrity in our dealings
- Partnership for greater reach and impact