Uganda faces significant challenges in meeting its population’s rehabilitation needs, a situation that reflects the broader global challenge of developing a skilled rehabilitation workforce. Through initial stakeholder consultations, Uganda’s professional associations and universities identified their priority: establishing bachelor’s-level education standards for Occupational Therapy (OT) and Orthopaedic Technology (OTT).
Using IRETT’s Academic Program Reflection Tool (APRT), a systematic approach was implemented to develop these new bachelor’s programs. The APRT guided stakeholders through key components including program philosophy, outcomes, curriculum, faculty development, and resources. Through regular online meetings with international mentor Larisa Hoffman and national coordinator Herbert Omoding, plus biannual in-person gatherings, this reflective process helped ensure the programs would meet both local needs and international standards.
In a powerful demonstration of interprofessional collaboration, Victor Alochi (OT) and Margaret Namatovu (OTT) led the development work. Their efforts were enriched by knowledge sharing from Uganda’s established Physiotherapy and Speech and Language Therapy bachelor’s programmes, whose teams provided valuable insights from their experience in developing and implementing degree-level education.
Key achievements include:
This project exemplifies how the APRT’s Plan-Do-Assess-Adjust model can effectively guide academic program development while ensuring strong local ownership. The systematic approach, combined with international mentorship and cross-disciplinary collaboration, provides a model for strengthening rehabilitation education worldwide.
Currently, work continues with Ugandan universities to implement these new programmes and secure their recognition at the national level. This initiative aligns with global health workforce development goals and supports the World Health Organization’s Rehabilitation 2030 agenda by building capacity through improved educational standards.
If you are interested in implementing these newly developed OT and OTT bachelor’s programmes in Uganda, please contact us to learn more.
USAID
This project was made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the “Learning, Acting and Building for Rehabilitation in Health Systems” (ReLAB-HS) activity, and implemented by Physiopedia.
