Agnes Kisakye receives the NNHF Community Award 2025

We are proud to announce Agnes Kisakye of Uganda as the recipient of the NNHF Community Award 2025! The award honours an individual or group demonstrating exceptional engagement and long-term commitment to people living with haemophilia and/or haemoglobinopathies. This year’s selection reflects extraordinary grassroots impact: Agnes received a record-breaking number of nominations from across Uganda and the wider African region.

A journey started by family

Agnes founded the Haemophilia Foundation of Uganda (HFU) in 2008 after her nephew was born with haemophilia. At that time, awareness of the condition in Uganda was extremely limited. Many patients relied on donated blood products or home remedies that carried significant risks, and the country had only three known people with haemophilia and no diagnostic capacity.

Agnes Kisakye from Uganda, the recipient of the NNHF Community Award 2025.

Building partnerships and capacity across the region

Recognising that change required collaboration, Agnes worked with regional organisations such as the Kenya Haemophilia Association and formed partnerships with international groups including the NNHF, Save One Life, and the World Federation of Haemophilia. These alliances helped bring expertise, resources, and visibility to Uganda’s haemophilia community.

Agnes Kisakye from Uganda, the recipient of the NNHF Community Award 2025.

Measurable, sustainable impact

Thanks to Agnes’s leadership and tireless advocacy, HFU has helped identify 451 people with haemophilia across Uganda. Her work has also supported the establishment of a comprehensive treatment centre in the capital city of Kampala and eight additional treatment centres around the country. More than 620 healthcare professionals have received basic training in haemophilia management, and Uganda has emerged as a regional leader in diagnostics and training in East Africa.

A legacy of improved care and awareness

Agnes Kisakye’s dedication has transformed haemophilia care in Uganda, improved the lives of hundreds of patients and families, and raised public awareness of bleeding disorders. Her work exemplifies the long-term commitment and community engagement that the NNHF Community Award seeks to recognise.

Agnes’s dedication has not only helped to enhance the standard of haemophilia care, it has also significantly raised public awareness in Uganda, ensuring that those affected are no longer overlooked.

We congratulate Agnes on this well-deserved honour and thank all those who nominated her for highlighting the power of local leadership in building sustainable health systems.