Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI)

IDI is a Ugandan not-for-profit organisation whose mission is to strengthen health systems in Africa, with a strong emphasis on infectious diseases, through research and capacity development. Established within Makerere University, the Institute began life in 2002 and currently provides care and treatment services to over 300,000 people living with HIV in urban and rural settings in Uganda (directly through our large clinic, and in partnership with government and non-government health facilities) which amounts to about 30% of the national effort. IDI is also a national referral centre for complicated cases of HIV. The institute is leveraging this expertise to address and innovate around mitigating the impact of neglected tropical diseases, non-communicable and emerging infectious diseases on the populace. This has been consolidated through the establishment of the Global Health Security Project, the African Centre of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Big Data as well as the Academy for Health Innovation, Uganda. IDI has trained over 60,000 health workers from Uganda and 27 other African countries. Training covers: HIV/AIDS and TB co-infection, malaria, lab services, pharmacy, systems strengthening (data management, monitoring and evaluation, grants management), and research capacity building. IDI has a research programme comprising over 40 projects (with over 300 articles in peer-reviewed journals to date), and is also committed to major long-term outreach programmes to build capacity across Uganda. IDI strives for uncompromising adherence to high quality across all activities, and has well developed and reliable financial, HR, grants management and IT systems (including a comprehensive clinic data system). The Institute has innovative governance, with its own Board, and operates as an autonomous entity within the College of Health Sciences at Makerere University. IDI is subject to rigorous internal and external audit by firms of international repute.