Walter Kipp
My interests and my work in the past have been global health with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. The topics I have been working on are related to communicable disease control, especially of such important infections like HIV, malaria, tuberculosis and parasitological infections among other tropical infestations.
I have been involved in onchocerciasis control in eastern Africa where we were able to eradicate this disease from one focus area where 110,000 people were exposed to this parasite. Other interests of mine include reproductive health, i.e. family planning, adolescent health and safe motherhood. Health care planning and management is another area of my work.
I have taught many courses in results-based management (RBM). Most of my work was done in rural areas of Africa where the most disadvantaged populations live. It was always important to me that the topic of my research comes from the practitioners who identified essential problems and who desperately need solutions. Most of my studies were surveys that consisted of quantitative approaches. Training and capacity building in African health workers was also a main domain of my work.
More recently, I have been engaged in community-based approaches to health care delivery, using community members with a low level of education. Due to my close connections with several district health departments in western Uganda, I was able to ensure that some of my research results were used by the district health management teams and helped to improve primary health care services in their jurisdictions.
In addition to government institutions, I created links with church organizations, e.g. the Catholic Church of Uganda and private not for profit organizations, e.g. the Kabarole Research Centre in Uganda. In most of my studies, different partners were involved which is documented in many of my publications.
I strongly believe in team work which should always be multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral.
Degrees
PhD (international health), Johns Hopkins University, USA, 1998
MPH (epidemiology), University of Hawaii, USA, 1986
Dr. med. (neuro-pathology), University Tuebingen, Germany, 1975
MD, University Tuebingen, Germany, 1972
Awards
Fellow, Canadian Academy for Health Sciences, 2010
Global Health Achievement Award; Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta; 2010
Friends of Africa Award, University of Alberta, 2000
Selected Publications
Heys J*, Kipp W, Jhangri G, Alibhai A*, Rubaale T. Fertility desires and Infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Results from a survey in rural Uganda. AIDS 2009, 23: S37-45.
Kipp W, Konde-Lule J, Saunders D, Alibhai A*, Houston S, Rubaale T, Senthilselvan A, Okech-Ojony J, Kiweewa F. Antiretroviral treatment in western Uganda: Comparing treatment outcomes and patient mortality between a prospective community-based and hospital-based cohort. Current HIV Research 2010, 8(2): 179-185.
Kipp W, Bamuhiiga J, Rubaale T, Kabagambe G. Adverse reactions to ivermectin treatment: Does infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus play a role? Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology, 2005, 99(4): 1-8.
Kipp W, Bamuhiiga J, Rubaale T, Buttner DW. Adverse reactions to ivermectin treatment in Simulium neavei transmitted onchocerciasis. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2003, 69(6):621-623.
Kipp W, Kamugisha J, Jacobs P, Burnham G, Rubaale T. The role of user fees in health staff incentives and utilization of services: The Kabarole District experience. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2001, 79:1032-37.
Current Projects
Community-based antiretroviral treatment of HIV patients in western Uganda
Principal Investigator
funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Improving adolescent reproductive health in Ugandan adolescents through mobile phones
Principal Investigator
funded by the Killam Trusts