Paul Waako

Waako was born on 20 February 1967 at Mukuta Village, in Mayuge District, in the Eastern Region of Uganda. After attending local primary and secondary schools, he was admitted to Makerere University School of Medicine, the oldest medical school in East Africa.[1]

He holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree and a Master of Science degree in Pharmacology, both awarded by Makerere University, in Uganda. His Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Pharmacology was obtained from the University of Cape Town, in South Africa. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Management, obtained from the Uganda Management Institute, in Kampala.[1]

For a period of ten years, he chaired the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at Makerere University College of Health Sciences. He was then appointed Dean of Busitema University Faculty of Health Sciences, serving in that capacity from 2013 until 2019.[1]

As Vice Chancellor at Busitema University, he succeeded Professor Mary Okwakol, the founding Vice Chancellor, whose term of office ended on 30 April 2019.[2]

Professor Waako is married to Engineer Ziria Tibalwa Waako, an electrical engineer, who serves as the chief executive officer of Uganda's Electricity Regulatory Authority, since November 2016. Together, they are parents to five children.[3]

He has published extensively in the areas of traditional medicines, drug discovery and development, rational use of medicines, and medicine supply systems. He has over 50 publications in peer reviewed Journals to his name. He is a Senior Research Fellow at Queen Mary University of London. He is also a Fellow of the Uganda National Academy of Sciences.[1][2][3]

• Francis Omaswa