Rita Makabayi-Mugabe joined FIND in September 2023 as Clinical Trial Manager within the Clinical Trials Unit (CTU), seconded to the FEND and Bioneer Tuberculosis (TB) Diagnostics Projects, focusing on both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant forms of TB. She is a medical doctor and public health specialist with over 15 years of experience, including significant work in capacity building for in-service healthcare professionals, clinical care, and clinical and implementation research.

Rita has coordinated the implementation of various research projects, particularly in the areas of HIV and TB, and is passionate about improving health service delivery in LMICs, especially among marginalized communities. Before joining FIND, Rita collaborated closely with the Ministry of Health in Uganda, national disease control programs, academia, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. These collaborations enabled her to actively contribute to the development of national documents and drive impactful program implementation and strategic planning through research initiatives.

Rita holds a wealth of experience in ensuring compliance with research ethical standards, quality assurance, and research regulatory frameworks, demonstrating her dedication to upholding the highest standards in the conduct of human subjects research.