A film about 25 years of sustainable health collaboration in East Africa
The Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Health (CESH) has released a film that tells the story of Professor Stefan Swartling Peterson and a 25-year collaboration between Karolinska Institutet and Makerere University in Uganda. Through his personal reflections and experiences in Uganda, the film highlights long-term partnerships, sustainable health systems, and the impact of cross-border collaboration on improving maternal and child health.
From a small village in Sweden to the heart of East Africa, Stefan Swartling Peterson’s journey is one of curiosity, innovation, and impact. Watch the film to be inspired by his story and the partnerships that have shaped 25 years of meaningful change.
Learning from colleagues in Uganda
“Scientific discussions are more meaningful here,” says Stefan Swartling Peterson in the film as he walks through the Makerere University in Kampala. Working in Uganda has taught him to do more with limited resources, find simple solutions, and constantly ask: How can we improve health for everyone?
A partnership that works
The film highlights the 25-year collaboration between Karolinska Institutet and Makerere University — now a model for sustainable and equitable global health partnerships, which has resulted in:
- 64 PhD graduates, including 35 with double degrees
- 500+ peer-reviewed publications
- 400+ student and lecturer exchanges
- Courses at KI on Sustainable Health and the 2030 Agenda at all levels: an elective course for undergraduate students, a course for master’s students in Global Health, and a hybrid doctoral course
- Joint leadership programmes
- Practical health improvements, from midwifery training to stroke rehabilitation
Life in Uganda
During a recent two-year stay in Kampala, Uganda, where he worked at Makerere University, Stefan Swartling Peterson experienced what he describes as Uganda’s “compressed history” of health challenges — from declining child mortality to rising non-communicable diseases and the increasing impact of climate change. This hands-on perspective, captured in the film, continues to inform new collaborations and solutions.
“Fundamentally people are the same,” Stefan Swartling Peterson reflects. “We all want the best for our families. Leaving some people and some regions behind is not an option.” His work shows how science, empathy, and persistence create positive change.
Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Health
The film was produced by Kseniya Hartvigsson for the Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Health (CESH), established by Karolinska Institutet and Makerere University. In October 2025, the universities celebrated 25 years of partnership in Stockholm, marking a quarter-century of collaboration in advancing sustainable health, research, education, and equitable global partnerships.
