A Life Devoted to Children, Health, and Hope
SAHU and Dr. Sabrina Bakeera Kitaka
She teaches,
she heals,
she inspires
At A Thousand Plus, we believe in lifting up the people who are already lifting others. Dr. Sabrina Bakeera Kitaka is one of those people. Especially through her work and love for SAHU, Society of Adolecent Health in Uganda.
One of Uganda’s most respected pediatricians, Dr. Kitaka has spent her life answering a higher call — one rooted in compassion, service, and the unwavering belief that every child deserves a chance to grow, thrive, and fulfill their purpose. As a wife, mother of five, senior lecturer, and specialist in adolescent health and pediatric HIV/AIDS, she is a living example of what it means to serve beyond the call of duty.
“No child’s life should be cut
short by preventable disease.”
Dr. Kitaka’s journey was shaped by her mother, a nurse, and her father, a mining engineer — and by her own early dreams of flying the skies, anchoring the news, or ruling from the bench. But it was in medicine that she found her mission. She entered medical school in 1990 and became a doctor in 1995, at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis in Uganda. During her rounds as a student, a heartbreaking day on the pediatric ward — nine children lost to measles — changed her life forever. In that moment, she vowed to dedicate her life to helping children survive and thrive.
Today, Dr. Kitaka is a senior lecturer at Makerere University’s College of Health
Dr. Kitaka’s journey was shaped by her mother, a nurse, and her father, a mining engineer — and by her own early dreams of flying the skies, anchoring the news, or ruling from the bench. But it was in medicine that she found her mission. She entered medical school in 1990 and became a doctor in 1995, at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis in Uganda. During her rounds as a student, a heartbreaking day on the pediatric ward — nine children lost to measles — changed her life forever. In that moment, she vowed to dedicate her life to helping children survive and thrive.
Today, Dr. Kitaka is a senior lecturer at Makerere University’s College of Health Sciences and a mentor to the next generation of doctors. Her specialties span from newborn care to adolescent health, with a deep commitment to children affected by HIV. Her career has taken her across continents, including a PhD in Pediatric HIV/AIDS from the University of Antwerp, one of the world’s leading infectious disease research centers. At A Thousand Plus, we are honored to walk alongside changemakers like Dr. Kitaka — whose work brings light and life to the children we serve, especially in their first 1,000 days.
Sciences and a mentor to the next generation of doctors. Her specialties span from newborn care to adolescent health, with a deep commitment to children affected by HIV. Her career has taken her across continents, including a PhD in Pediatric HIV/AIDS from the University of Antwerp, one of the world’s leading infectious disease research centers.
At A Thousand Plus, we are honored to walk alongside changemakers like Dr. Kitaka — whose work brings light and life to the children we serve, especially in their first 1,000 days.
she reminds us that change begins
when we put purpose into action.
What drives her?
Hope
Healing
Purpose
Society of Adolescent Health in Uganda
SAHU is a leading nonprofit organization in Uganda dedicated to advancing adolescent health, growth, and development. Backed by experts from institutions like Columbia, Makerere University, and Naguru Teenage Centre, SAHU works to ensure young people have access to the care, knowledge, and resources needed to become healthy, responsible adults. Their core activities encompass knowledge dissemination, scientific research, advocacy, and partnerships with stakeholders across public and private sectors sahu.ug.
Driven by a vision that “a healthy adolescent” ensures “a healthy nation,” SAHU operates on values of excellence, leadership, integrity, and collaboration. They believe in shaping health systems that respect adolescents’ dignity, equity, and justice, and that such systems are not privileges but rights. Through rigorous research and strategic partnerships, SAHU aims to build an evidence-based foundation for adolescent health promotion, prevention, and treatment throughout Uganda
