Completing the landscape of health research in Uganda: An Evidence Gap Map (EGM)
For a decade, health research in Uganda has been scattered across hundreds of reports and journals. At ACRES, we’ve brought it all into one place through our Evidence Gap Map (EGM).
By visualizing everything we know—and exactly what we don’t—from 2012 to 2022, we’re helping Uganda move past guesswork. This map isn’t just a database: it’s the foundation for a National Health Research Agenda that actually matches our country’s needs.
For policymakers and donors, this means scarce resources are no longer wasted on duplicate studies but are instead funnelled into the infectious disease, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and infrastructure gaps that matter most for Ugandans.
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Developing a comprehensive National Health Research Agenda for Uganda
It’s not enough to have evidence; it needs to be the right evidence.
That’s why ACRES led the charge in creating and updating Uganda’s integrated ten-year health research agenda. This agenda is a focused roadmap, built on evidence, for where our health sector needs to go next. We know that national plans and policies, like the National Development Plan III, demand scientific evidence to guide funding and action. This agenda is our answer to that demand.
The ‘so-what’ for you? This agenda ensures every research dollar spent is aligned with Uganda’s most urgent health priorities. It guarantees that our collective efforts are focused on improving health outcomes, achieving equity, and ensuring that no resource is wasted. It’s about ensuring that research drives real, measurable progress for all Ugandans.
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Unlocking evidence-driven environmental action
When forests disappear or wetlands are encroached upon, the cost to Uganda’s future is immense. But to stop it, advocates and litigators need more than passion—they need undeniable evidence. ACRES and Earth & Rights Initiatives (ERI) teamed up to build an Evidence Gap Map on Natural Resource Degradation.
We consolidated a decade of data to give civil society the “evidence-ammo” they need for environmental litigation and high-stakes policy advocacy. By bringing together the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), legal aid providers, and ecological researchers, we answered a singular, urgent question What are the development impacts of natural resources degradation in LMICs?”
The ‘So-What’ for our partners:
- For litigators: You now have a consolidated evidence base to back environmental lawsuits, particularly around deforestation and wetland protection.
- For policymakers: You can see exactly where research is missing, allowing for smarter, climate-resilient laws.
- For donors: Your support is directly fuelling the legal and policy tools needed to meet SDG 7 (Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
