KAMPALA, Uganda – A total of 850 new students at the Uganda Institute of Allied Health and Management Sciences (UIAHMS) in Old Mulago have successfully completed a five-day comprehensive patriotism training program aimed at instilling national values and professional discipline.
The colorful pass-out ceremony took place on 29th August 2025 at the institute grounds and was presided over by Dr. Safina Kisu Musene, Commissioner for Health Education and Training at the Ministry of Education and Sports.
In her remarks, Dr. Musene congratulated the students for choosing a noble path in the health profession. She emphasized the importance of upholding professional ethics, describing health work as a calling from God that demands the highest standards of integrity and commitment.
“By choosing to join UIAHMS—a government-owned health training institution—you have committed yourselves to a profession where ethics cannot be compromised. This is not just a career, it is a divine calling,” Dr. Musene said.
Delivering a message from the Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, she urged the students to remain disciplined, serve the country with diligence and integrity, shun corruption, and avoid any actions that could tarnish the image of their profession.
Institute Calls for Government Support
The Principal of UIAHMS, Rose Nassali, thanked Dr. Musene for gracing the occasion and reiterated the institute’s commitment to academic excellence despite a few operational challenges. She appealed to the government to fulfill its earlier pledge to provide a bus to ease transportation for the over 3,000 students, especially during fieldwork and internships.
She also reminded the First Lady of the government’s promise to fund the construction of a new administration block, a development she said would greatly enhance service delivery and academic operations at the institute.
In response, Dr. Musene promised to forward the concerns to the Minister and First Lady for urgent attention. She also encouraged youth in the wider community to enroll at UIAHMS, noting that the institute offers strategic health-related programs that not only lead to employment in government but also equip learners to make a lasting impact in Uganda’s health sector.
She extended her gratitude to the management of Mulago National Referral Hospital Complex, the institute’s landlord, for their continued support and collaboration.
Patriotism and National Duty
Representing the Office of the President and the National Secretariat for Patriotism Corps (NSPC), the Deputy Resident City Commissioner (D/RCC) of Kawempe Division, Kagenyi Lukka, officially welcomed the newly trained patriots. He urged them to apply their newfound knowledge in service of the nation by promoting integrity, combating corruption, exposing community-level crime, and encouraging discipline among fellow youth.
Kagenyi emphasized that his office is working with institutions across the division to integrate patriotism training into their programs, ensuring that students graduate with a deep understanding of national values and the importance of serving their country.
He recalled that in 2009, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni launched a national program to “Inculcate Norms and Values of Patriotism in Students and Youth” across all secondary schools and institutions of higher learning. Since then, Patriotism Clubs have been established nationwide to nurture new generations of Ugandans with positive attitudes and a strong sense of national identity.
