Robert Kabuye Sebunya

Honorary Lecturer paeds ,
Makerere University

Robert K Sebunya was born in Namugongo rural Uganda, current day Wakiso district to Mr Soul Kabuye and the late Deborah Nakalema in 1982. I had my senior secondary/college school from Uganda Martyrs Senior secondarily school Namugongo, from where I went to Mbarara University of Science and Technology for my bachelor’s degree of Medicine and Surgery. Following the completion of my Bachelor’s degree, I joined current day St.francis hospital Nsambya for my Internship training, under the mentorship of a very good paediatrician the late Dr. P N Kituuka. In 2009, I joined Makerere University for my Maters in Paediatrics and Child Health. Having completed my masters, I went back to St. Francis hospital Nsambya as a paediatrician, however during my practice I encountered many children who had intractable seizures, this experience channeled my thoughts and interests to paediatric neurology in an effort to try and control the seizures so that no other child dies secondarily to seizure disorders.
In 2017, I enrolled for masters of Philosophy in paediatric neurology at the University of Cape Town (UCT), through the African Pediatrics fellowship programme (APFP). I trained at the Red Cross War Memorial Children`s hospital in South Africa, under the supervision/mentorship of Professor Jo. Wilmshurst, plus some of the very fine and seasoned paediatric neurologists by the names of Alvin P.Ndondo, and Gillian Riordan. On my return in 2019, I started a paediatric neurology clinic at St. Francis Hospital Nsambya. This clinic handles a wide spectrum of neurological diseases common to children from resource poor countries. It functions as referral clinic for some complex epilepsies and even neuromuscular disorders owing to the very limited paediatric neurological services in the country. The above has come with overwhelming numbers.
Currently am collaborating with a neuro-surgical hospital in rural Uganda (CURE MBALE) to have epilepsy surgeries done to some children in an effort to control their seizures.
My research interests are more in childhood epilepsy, neuromuscular disorders. I have 6 peer-reviewed publications and currently working on a couple of manuscripts relating to epilepsy. I am one of the trainers of paediatric epilepsy course (PET) under the British paediatric Neurology Association (BPNA) in an effort of improving paediatric epilepsy care in Uganda
Am a lecturer at Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi Mother Kevin Post-graduate School Training school and honorary at Makerere University College of Health sciences department of Paediatric child Health. I was the recipient of the prestigious Bernard Dsouza International award 2022 by the Child Neurology Society (CNS) and an invited speaker. This year I was honored to receive the Sheila Wallace lecture award. I have co-authorised one book chapter in the upcoming new seventh edition of Swaimans Paediatric Neurology and one of the Principal investigators of acute flaccid myelitis in rural Uganda.