Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu

Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu (born 1974) is a professor, researcher, epidemiologist and psychiatrist at the Department of Psychiatry in the Faculty of Medicine, Makerere University in Uganda. Her research is particularly focused on supportive group psychotherapy as a first-line treatment for depression in people with HIV. She is one of only five recipients of the Elsevier Foundation Award for Early Career Women Scientists in the Developing World in Biological Sciences, as well as listed at one of the BBC's 100 Women in 2020.

Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu
Born1974
Alma materJohns Hopkins University
OccupationPsychiatrist; Academic; Mental health advocate
EmployerMakerere University
AwardsElsevier Foundation Award (2016), BBC 100 Women (2020)

Education

Nakimuli-Mpungu graduated in Medicine from Makerere University's Faculty of Health Sciences in 1998.[1] When she announced the news to her mother, her mother replied: “OK, good. But you know it's not good just to be a doctor, you go to some doctors and they don't make you feel better. I want you to be one of the doctors who really do good for people".[2] Her career began in Kampala, where she worked first in a surgical department, then with children.[2] From 2001 to 2012 she worked in psychiatric care at Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital.[1] In 2006, she is also resumed graduate studies in Psychiatry at Makerere University's College of Health Sciences and was awarded an MA.[1] In 2012, she was awarded a doctorate in psychiatric epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University.[1]

Career

Whilst working at Butabika Hospital, Nakimuli-Mpungu noticed a large number of HIV/AIDS patients were being admitted with serious mental health problems.[2] Nakimuli-Mpungu commented that "at the time, nobody knew how to help them or what to do with them", specifying that "there was this idea in the medical community that these people were beyond all help".[2] She undetook her own observations, which confirmed the HIV-positive individuals are more likely to be diagnosed with depression, in part due to the stigma surrounding the disease.[2] One symptom of depression is neglect of self-care, which means for some HIV patients, they are less likely to take their medication.[2] Nakimuli-Mpungu felt that there could be a dual approach to the two diseases, but there was nothing published in scientific literature at the time, which could serve as a basis for implementation of such a treatment.[2]

Nakimuli-Mpungu then launched a research programme to explore the possibilities of a treatment that addressed both issues. Since most medical centres in Uganda lack funding, as well as training for and staff to work on mental health care, Nakimuli-Mpungu focussed on the potential of group therapy as a treatment. Her first pilot recruited 150 people with HIV and depression. The recruits were split into two groups: one group received Nakimuli-Mpungu's group therapy sessions, the other standard HIV education sessions at a clinic. Whilst over time all patients depression decreased, significantly the group therapy's trend was a continuation of decrease of depression even after the sessions ceased.[2]

This initial study led to a larger programme, which began in 2016.[3] In this iteration, 1140 patients were treated at over 40 health centres across northern Uganda.[4] The participants were again split into two: one half received "culturally appropriate psychotherapy", the others received general HIV education.[4] The treatments this time were provided by trained, non-professional healthcare workers over a course of eight weeks.[4] The group that received psychotherapy showed less incidences of major depression than the other group, reduced symptoms of PTSD, greater adherence to medication courses, lower rates of alcohol abuse, amongst other outcomes.[4] Positive affects were greatest amongst male patients.[4]

As of 2020 she is a professor, researcher, epidemiologist and psychiatrist at the Department of Psychiatry in the Faculty of Medicine, Makerere University.[5]

Awards
  • The International ASTRAZENECA/APIRE Young Minds in Psychiatry Award, 2005.[6]
  • The International Fulbright Science & Technology Award, 2007.[6]
  • Presidential National Independence Medal of Honor, Uganda, 2016.[5]
  • Elsevier Foundation Award for Early Career Women Scientists in the Developing World in Biological Sciences, 2016.[6]
  • BBC's annual most influential 100 Women list, 2020.[7]

Selected publications
  • 'Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of group support psychotherapy delivered by trained lay health workers for depression treatment among people with HIV in Uganda: a cluster-randomised trial' (co-authored) in The Lancet (February, 2020).[8]
  • 'Group support psychotherapy for depression treatment in people with HIV/AIDS in northern Uganda: a single-centre randomised controlled trial' (co-authored) in Lancet HIV (May, 2015).[9]
  • 'Depression, alcohol use and adherence to antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review' (co-authored) in Aids Behaviour (November, 2012).[10]

References
  1. "Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu". Mental Health Innovation Network. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  2. "Mom Inspires Daughter To Be A Doctor Who Really Makes People Better". text.npr.org. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  3. "The effects of group support psychotherapy delivered by lay health workers on depression among persons living with HIV in Northern Uganda | MQ Mental Health Research". www.mqmentalhealth.org. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  4. "Group psychotherapy led by lay health workers can dramatically improve depression in people with HIV, says Ugandan study". aidsmap.com. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  5. "Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu". Women Leaders in Global Health. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  6. "Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu". The Conversation. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  7. "BBC 100 Women 2020: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 2020-11-23. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  8. Nakimuli-Mpungu, Etheldreda; Musisi, Seggane; Wamala, Kizito; Okello, James; Ndyanabangi, Sheila; Birungi, Josephine; Nanfuka, Mastula; Etukoit, Micheal; Mayora, Chrispus; Ssengooba, Freddie; Mojtabai, Ramin (2020). "Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of group support psychotherapy delivered by trained lay health workers for depression treatment among people with HIV in Uganda: a cluster-randomised trial". The Lancet Global Health. 8 (3): e387–e398. doi:10.1016/s2214-109x(19)30548-0. ISSN 2214-109X.
  9. Nakimuli-Mpungu, Etheldreda; Wamala, Kizito; Okello, James; Alderman, Stephen; Odokonyero, Raymond; Mojtabai, Ramin; Mills, Edward J; Kanters, Steve; Nachega, Jean B; Musisi, Seggane (2015). "Group support psychotherapy for depression treatment in people with HIV/AIDS in northern Uganda: a single-centre randomised controlled trial". The Lancet HIV. 2 (5): e190–e199. doi:10.1016/S2352-3018(15)00041-7.
  10. Nakimuli-Mpungu, Etheldreda; Bass, Judith K.; Alexandre, Pierre; Mills, Edward J.; Musisi, Seggane; Ram, Malathi; Katabira, Elly; Nachega, Jean B. (2012). "Depression, Alcohol Use and Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review". AIDS and Behavior. 16 (8): 2101–2118. doi:10.1007/s10461-011-0087-8. ISSN 1090-7165.
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