Silvia Awor

Senior Lecturer


Silvia Awor is an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and Senior lecturer at Gulu University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She also works at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, and is an Honorary Clinical Fellow at the Department of Women and Children’s Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool in the UK.

She holds a PhD from Makerere University, and her areas of interest are high-risk pregnancy and cardiovascular Health. She is also interested in collaborations, mentorship programs, and Academic writing.

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Qualifications

Jan – October 2014: Clinical Fellowship in Obstetric Ultrasound (Diagnostic Imaging Unit) and Maternal Fetal Medicine Unit at McMaster Medical Centre, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

2006-2009: Master of Medicine (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) at Makerere University College of Health Sciences, and working under supervision in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda.

1999-2004: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery of Makerere University, Kampala

Uganda

1997-1998: Mt. St. Mary’s Namagunga and obtained a Uganda advanced certificate of education at Mukono, Uganda

1993-1996: Sacred Heart secondary school in Gulu, and obtained a Uganda ordinary level certificate of education at Gulu, Uganda

1986-1992: Kitgum Public School and did a Primary Leaving Examination at Kitgum, Uganda

Research Interests

Research and advances in maternal and child health.

Research Work

  1. Safety and efficacy of herbal medicines for the management of sickle cell disease in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Submitted to BMC systematic reviews)
  2. Prevalence of use of herbal medicines for the treatment of sickle cell disease in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (Submitted to Journal of herbal medicine)
  3. Prediction of preterm birth (Submitted to African Health Sciences)
  4. Awor S, Abola B, Byanyima R, Orach CG, Kiondo P, Kaye DK, Ogwal-Okeng J, Nakimuli A: Prediction of pre-eclampsia at St. Mary’s hospital lacor, a low-resource setting in northern Uganda, a prospective cohort study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 2023, 23(1).
  5. Silvia Awor, Rosemary Byanyima, Benard Abola, Paul Kiondo, Christopher Garimoi-Orach, Jasper Ogwal-Okeng, Annettee Nakimuli, Kaye, D. (2022). Prediction of low birth weight at term in low resource setting of Gulu city, Uganda: a prospective cohort study. PAMJ – Clinical medicine, 10(28). doi:10.11604/pamj-cm.2022.10.28.37102
  6. Awor, S., Byanyima, R., Abola, B., Kiondo, P., Orach, C. G., Ogwal-Okeng, J., Kaye, Dan, Nakimuli, A. (2022). Prediction of stillbirth low resource setting in Northern Uganda. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 22(1). doi:10.1186/s12884-022-05198-6
  7. Awor, S., Byanyima, R., Abola, B., Nakimuli, A., Orach, C. G., Kiondo, P., Ogwal-Okeng, J., Kaye, D. (2022). Incidence of preeclampsia and retention to prenatal care in Northern Uganda. East African Medical Journal, 99(6), 4885 – 4896. Retrieved from https://www.ajol.info/index.php/eamj/article/view/230253
  8. Simple Ouma, Kenneth Odong Obita, Turyasima Mananura, Acca Harriet Omara, Florence Nabbale, Moses Toe Rama, Caroline Cephas Adong, Mpora Beatrice Odongkara, Emmanuel Igwaro Odongo-Aginya, Silvia Awor: Teenage Marriage in Post Conflict Northern Uganda: A Case of Amuru District. Science 6 (2), 61-65 (2018) 2. S
  9. Ouma, S., Turyasima, M., Acca, H., Nabbale, F., Obita, K. O., Rama, M., Adong, C. C., Openy, A., Beatrice, M. O., Odongo-Aginya, E. I., Awor, S. (2015). Obstacles to Family Planning Use among Rural Women in Atiak Health Center Iv, Amuru District, Northern Uganda. East Afr Med J, 92(8), 394-400. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27099401, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4834556/pdf/nihms747635.pdf
  10. Odongkara Mpora, B., Piloya, T., Awor, S., Ngwiri, T., Laigong, P., Mworozi, E. A., & Hochberg, Z. (2014). Age at menarche in relation to nutritional status and critical life events among rural and urban secondary school girls in post-conflict northern Uganda. BMC Womens Health, 14, 66. doi:10.1186/1472-6874-14-66
  11. Silvia Awor: Dissertation for Master of Medicine (Makerere University Kampala): surgically treated pelvic abscess, microbial and antimicrobial sensitivity patterns in Mulago National Referral Hospital Kampala Uganda. May 2009

Publications

Awor, S., Opee, J., Ocaya, D., Abola, B., Malinga, G. M., Oryema, C., … Musoke, D. (2026) . (2026) . Haematological Profile of Patients with Sickle Cell Disease in the Acholi Sub-Region, Uganda
Ocaya, J. , Arwenyo, B. , Ongwech, A. , Nnamuyomba, P. , Angwech, H. , Awor, S. , Kanis, D. , Kigozi, M. and Kisitu, J. (2025) . (2025) . Immobilization of TNT and RDX Explosives from Contaminated Soil at Demining Sites in Amuru District, Northern Uganda, Using Rice Husk Biochar . Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 13(11)
Laker F, Okot J, Ojara FW, Akello F, Amone D, Pebolo FP, Awor S, Atim P, Bongomin F . (2025) . Emergency contraceptive utilization and associated factors among adolescents and young adults in Northern Uganda. Women’s Health
. (2025) . We Cure Sickle Cell Disease with Herbs”: Perspectives of Herbal Medicine Practitioners Treating Sickle Cell Disease in the Acholi Sub-Region. J Multidiscip Health. , pp. 4267-4277
Winnie, K., Pebalo Francis, P., Ronald, O., Jerom, O., Jimmyy, O., Silvia, A., Simple, O., Michael, K., Grace, M., & Felix, B. (2025). . (2025) . Prevalence and factors associated with violence against women who exchange sex for money in Gulu City, Northern Uganda: a cross-sectional study . BMJ Public Health, [online] Volume 3(1). Available at: https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/3/2/e001486
Kibone W, Pebolo FP, Olum R, Okot J, Opee J, Awor S, Ouma S, Kakinda M, Madraa G, Bongomin F . (2025) . Prevalence and factors associated with violence against women who exchange sex for money in Gulu City, Northern Uganda: a cross-sectional study
Silvia Awor, Felix Bongomin, Mark Mohan Kaggwa, Francis Pebalo Pebalo, Ronald Muganga Kivumbi,Geoffrey Maxwell Malinga, Acaye Ongwech, Proscovia Nnamuyomba, Christine Oryema, Bernard Abola, Jackline Epila and David Musoke (2025) . (2025) . “We Cure Sickle Cell Disease with Herbs”: Perspectives of Herbal Medicine Practitioners Treating Sickle Cell Disease in the Acholi Sub-Region . Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare., 18, pp. 4267- 4277
Awor, S., Opee, J., Ocaya, D., Ocaya, J., Abola, B., Malinga, G., Oryema, C., Arwenyo, B., Ongwech, A., Musoke, D., Nnamuyomba, P., & Epila, J. (2025) . (2025) . “We Cure Sickle Cell Disease with Herbs”: Perspectives of Herbal Medicine Practitioners Treating Sickle Cell Disease in the Acholi Sub-Region . Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, [online] Volume 2025(18), pp. 4267-4277. Available at: https://www.dovepress.com/we-cure-sickle-cell-disease-with-herbs-perspectives-of-herbal-medicine-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JMDH
Pebolo PF, Bongomin F, Awor S, Arwinyo B, Ojara S, Opee J, Jackline A, Okot J, Ssennuni E, Ouma S, Nakimuli A . (2025) . Effectiveness of pre-recorded presentation of postpartum intrauterine device insertion training for medical students in Uganda , pp. 14-25
Silvia Awor, Felix Bongomin, Mark Mohan Kaggwa, Francis Pebalo Pebalo, Ronald Muganga Kivumbi,Geoffrey Maxwell Malinga, Acaye Ongwech, Proscovia Nnamuyomba, Christine Oryema, Bernard Abola, Jackline Epila and David Musoke . (2024) . Safety and efficacy of herbal medicines for the management of sickle cell disease in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis . PAMJ-One Health, [online] Volume 15(22). Available at: https://www.one-health.panafrican-med-journal.com/content/article/15/22/full/
Solomon Oguta, Brian Serumaga, Lameck Odongo, Donald Otika, Jackline Ayikoru, Raymond Otim, Jimmyy Opee, Baifa Arwinyo, Francis Pebolo Pebalo, Vincentina Achora, Sande Ojara, Benard Abola & Silvia Awor . (2024) . Factors associated with malaria in pregnancy among antenatal care mothers at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital in northern Uganda . Malaria Journal
Awor S, Bongomin F, Kaggwa MM, Pebolo FP, Musoke D . (2024) . Liver and renal biochemical profiles of people with sickle cell disease in Africa: a systematic review and meta analysis . Available at: https://ir.gu.ac.ug/items/584d7fc4-feeb-4024-98f8-3af975549d34/full
Silvia Awor, Felix Bongomin, Mark Mohan Kaggwa, Francis Pebalo Pebalo, Ronald Muganga Kivumbi,Geoffrey Maxwell Malinga, Acaye Ongwech, Proscovia Nnamuyomba, Christine Oryema, Bernard Abola, Jackline Epila and David Musoke (2024) . (2024) . Liver and renal biochemical profiles of people with sickle cell disease in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies . Systematic Reviews , [online] Volume 13(260). Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13643-024-02662-6
Pebalo Francis Pebolo, Jerom Okot, Felix Bongomin, Silvia Awor, Baifa Arwinyo, Sande Ojara, Jimmyy Opee, Ayikoru Jackline, Eric Ssennuni, Simple Ouma . (2024) . Efficacy of the Gulu University Reproductive Health Simulation Training for final year medical students and interns: a before-and-after study . Sexual and Reproductive Health Across Africa: Challenges and Opportunities - Original Research, 18
Pebalo FP, Bongomin F, Awor S, Arwinyo B, Ojara S, Opee J, Ayikoru J, Okot J, Ssenuni E, Ouma S, Nakimuli A . (2023) . Comparing Flipped Classroom with Traditional Instruction for Post-Partum Intra-Uterine Device Training Among Medical Students in a Ugandan Public University . Available at: https://ir.gu.ac.ug/items/2e009fa8-9453-4990-b1d1-a42c495c175e/full
Silvia Awor, Felix Bongomin, Mark Mohan Kaggwa, Francis Pebalo Pebalo, Ronald Muganga Kivumbi,Geoffrey Maxwell Malinga, Acaye Ongwech, Proscovia Nnamuyomba, Christine Oryema, Bernard Abola, Jackline Epila and David Musoke (2023) . (2023) . Prevalence of Use of Herbal Medicines for the Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease in Africa: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis . Journal of Herbal Medicine, -1

Projects

“We provide the methods to others but we don’t use the methods ourselves”: challenges with utilization of modern contraception among Female Healthcare Workers at two tertiary teaching hospitals, Northern Uganda
    Opee J - Principlal Investigator, Opiro K, Manano P, Sikoti M, Ayikoru J, Akello H, Laker FG, Wolters MK, Awor S, Pebolo FP, Bongomin F.

Supervision

PhD students:

  1. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: care-seeking pathways, postpartum interventions, and risk factors for adverse outcome among mothers delivering at Gulu University teaching hospitals (For data collection), registered at Gulu University
  2. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling to predict antimicrobial exposure in early post-partum sepsis (For proposal development), registered at Makerere University

Masters students:

  1. PrEP utilization among HIV at-risk groups across community models in northern Uganda
  2. Risky sexual behaviours and associated factors among adolescents in Gulu City

Undergraduate students’ research still under Supervision (12 students in three groups):

  1. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Manual Vacuum Aspiration in Managing Incomplete Abortion at Lower-level Health Facilities of Northern Uganda.
  2. Factors associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes among patients diagnosed with Preeclampsia at Gulu University Teaching Hospitals.

Students who have been supervised to completion:

Undergraduate students’ Research groups: supervised to completion (14 Students in three groups)

  1. Assessing barriers and facilitators to access and utilization of emergency obstetric care among women attending antenatal care at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital in northern Uganda; A qualitative study (2025).
  2. Prevalence and factors associated with malaria infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital (2024)
  3. Factors associated with gestational age at first antenatal care visit at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital (2017)
  4. Factors for the low uptake of family planning among females of reproductive age in Amuru district (2014)

More Information

Leadership positions held:

  1. October – December 2023: Acting Head of Department of Reproductive Health, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University
  2. July 2017 – September 2019: President of the PhD fellows of Makerere University
  3. 2003 – 2004 Academic year: Mess secretary for Galloway Hall, Makerere University
  4. 2002 – 2003 Academic year: Representative of Mary Stuart Hall to Acholi Students’ Association at Makerere University

Membership to professional bodies:

  1. Life member of Uganda Medical Association, Number UMALM: 00049
  2. Member of the Network for Education and Multidisciplinary Research Africa (NEMRA), Number 0039
  3. Registered with the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Council (UMDPC), number H2628
  4. Fellow of the East, Central and Southern Africa College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology FCOG (ECSA), Number 0092