Vincent Batwala

Vincent Batwala

Fogarty Fellow

Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases

Harvard School of Public Health
655 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Email (1): vbatwala@hsph.harvard.edu

Email (2): vkbatwala@gmail.com

Education

PhD, Makerere University, Uganda
MPH, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Research Interests
Dr Vincent Batwala has spent considerable time in malaria clinical trials including validating diagnostic tools to assess their accuracy and cost-effectiveness at the primary level of care in Uganda, an endemic area in sub Saharan Africa. His work provides empirical evidence for the need to improve diagnostic accuracy in such settings in the era of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT); and will continue to impact on public policy. He is currently assessing the health and economic outcomes associated with treatment of patients with ACT when tested negative – a common practice in sub Saharan Africa. He is interested in operational research assessing new technologies that will contribute to malaria eradication; infectious disease surveillance; and spatial distribution of health outcomes.

Awards

  • 2012: Award of Excellence in Research and Publication by Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health, USA.
  • 2012: Fogarty Research Scholar, Harvard School of Public Health, USA.
  • 2011: Scholarship to present a paper at “The Third International Conference for Improving Use of Medicines (ICIUM2011), Antalya, Turkey.
  • 2008-2012: PhD grant from University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Department for International Development (DFID) United Kingdom; and Belgian Technical Cooperation.
  • 2006: Scholarship by Danish Government (through DANIDA) to study in Denmark.
  • 1997-1998: Scholarship by Israel Center for International Cooperation (MASHAV), Jerusalem.
  • 1997: Scholarship by JAMA/BMJ/Project Hope to attend the “Third International Congress on Peer Review in Biomedical Publication, Prague, Czech Republic.
  • 1989-1994: Scholarship by Inter-University Council for East Africa to study in Tanzania.

Publications

  1. Batwala V, Magnussen P, Nuwaha F. Cost-effectiveness of malaria microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests versus presumptive diagnosis: implications for malaria control in Uganda. Malar J 2011, 10:372.
  2. Batwala V, Magnussen P, Mirembe J, Mulogo E, Nuwaha F. Timing of malaria messages for target audience on radio airwaves. Malar J 2012, 11:283.
  3. Batwala V, Magnussen P, Nuwaha F. Comparative feasibility of implementing rapid diagnostic test and microscopy for parasitological diagnosis of malaria in Uganda. Malar J 2011, 10:373.
  4. Batwala V, Magnussen P, Nuwaha F. Antibiotic use among patients with febrile illness in a low malaria endemicity setting in Uganda. Malar J 2011, 10:377.
  5. Batwala V, Magnussen P, Nuwaha F. Are rapid diagnostic tests more accurate in diagnosis of plasmodium falciparum malaria compared to microscopy at rural health centres? Malar J. 2010; 9:349.
  6. Batwala V, Magnussen P, Nuwaha F. Challenges to implementation of Artemisinin Combination Therapy policy in Uganda. Int Health 2010; 2(4):262-268.
  7. Bårnes GK, Naess LM, Rosenqvist E, Guerin PJ, Caugant DA, Fogg C, Piola P, Pinoges L, Nabasumba C, Ghabri S, Twesigye R, Bajunirwe F, Batwala V, Borrow R, Frøholm LO, Aaberge IS, Røttingen JA. Fractional Doses Vaccine Study Group. Avidity of serogroup A meningococcal IgG antibodies after immunization with different doses of a tetravalent A/C/Y/W135 polysaccharide vaccine. Scand J Immunol. 2011; 74(1):87-94.
  8. Guerin PJ, Naess LM, Fogg C, Rosenqvist E, Pinoges L, Bajunirwe F, Nabasumba C, Borrow R, Frøholm LO, Ghabri S, Batwala V, Twesigye R, Aaberge IS, Røttingen JA, Piola P, Caugant DA. Immunogenicity of fractional doses of tetravalent a/c/y/w135 meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine: results from a randomized non-inferiority controlled trial in Uganda. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2008; 2(12):e342.
  9. Batwala V, Mulogo EM, Arubaku W. Oral health status of school children in Mbarara, Uganda. Afr Health Sci. 2007; 7(4):233-8.
  10. Fogg C, Twesigye R, Batwala V, Piola P, Nabasumba C, Kiguli J, Mutebi F, Hook C, Guillerm M, Moody A, Guthmann JP. Assessment of three new parasite lactate dehydrogenase (pan-pLDH) tests for diagnosis of uncomplicated malaria. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2008; 102(1):25-31.
  11. Mabumba ED, Mugyenyi P, Batwala V, Mulogo EM, Mirembe J, Khan FA, Liljestrand J. Widow inheritance and HIV/AIDS in rural Uganda. Trop Doct. 2007; 37(4):229-31.
  12. Mulogo EM, Witte K, Bajunirwe F, Nabukera SK, Muchunguzi C, Batwala VK, Bagenda F, Farr C, Barry S. Birth plans and health facility based delivery in rural Uganda. East Afr Med J. 2006; 83(3):74-83.
  13. Caugant DA, Fogg C, Bajunirwe F, Piola P, Twesigye R, Mutebi F, Frøholm LO, Rosenqvist E, Batwala V, Aaberge IS, Rottingen JA, Guerin PJ. Pharyngeal carriage of Neisseria meningitidis in 2-19-year-old individuals in Uganda. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2006; 100(12):1159-63.
  14. Nabukera SK, Witte K, Muchunguzi C, Bajunirwe F, Batwala VK, Mulogo EM, Farr C, Barry S, Salihu HM. Use of postpartum health services in rural Uganda: knowledge, attitudes, and barriers. J Community Health. 2006; 31(2):84-93.
  15. Batwala VK, Nuwaha F, Mulogo EM, Bagenda F, Bajunirwe F, Mirembe JB. Contraceptive use among in and out-of school adolescents in rural southwest Uganda. East Afr Med J. 2006; 83(1):18-24.
  16. Atai-Omoruto A, Luboga S, Kolbe R, Batwala V, Haq C, Sewankambo N. Strengthening Health Care: The Future of Family Medicine in Uganda. Uganda Health Info Dig 2004; 8(2 & 3), 91-104.