Dr. Stephen Muwonge Matovu – Senior Consultant Neurologist & National Leader in Clinical Neurosciences
Comprehensive Professional Overview
Dr. Stephen Muwonge Matovu is a distinguished and widely respected Ugandan neurologist whose career has spanned more than two decades of unwavering commitment to clinical excellence, academic leadership, and health systems development. He currently serves as the Senior Consultant Neurologist and Head of the Neurology Unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital, the premier tertiary and teaching hospital in Uganda. In addition, he is a valued faculty member at Makerere University College of Health Sciences, where he mentors and trains future generations of internal medicine physicians and neurologists.
Dr. Matovu’s educational journey is rooted in Uganda’s top academic institutions. He obtained his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) and later pursued a Master of Medicine in Internal Medicine (MMED), both of which laid the foundation for his specialization in adult neurology. His clinical career has been marked by a consistent drive to bridge clinical practice, research, and academic mentorship with a strong emphasis on improving neurological care delivery systems in Uganda.
Impactful Contributions in Uganda’s Neurological Landscape
Dr. Matovu plays a pivotal role in shaping the direction and quality of neurology services within Uganda’s national health system. As the Head of Neurology at Mulago Hospital, he oversees the country’s largest public neurology department. His day-to-day responsibilities include coordinating acute inpatient and outpatient neurology services, supervising postgraduate medical trainees, leading multidisciplinary rounds, and formulating clinical care guidelines.
He has become a leading figure in the management of some of the most challenging and prevalent neurological conditions in Uganda. These include:
- Acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, which are among the top causes of adult disability and mortality in Uganda
- Drug-resistant epilepsy, a condition that affects thousands of patients across urban and rural regions, often in resource-limited settings
- Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and other forms of dementia
- Neuromuscular and demyelinating disorders, including multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and myasthenia gravis
- Peripheral neuropathies, neurological complications of HIV/AIDS, and neuro-infectious syndromes
- Post-traumatic brain injury sequelae and spinal cord pathologies
His clinical decision-making is guided by a holistic understanding of the patient’s neurological condition, psychosocial context, and systemic barriers to care—making him a trusted advisor not only to patients and families but also to colleagues across disciplines.
Academic, Research, and Training Excellence
At Makerere University, Uganda’s oldest and most prestigious university, Dr. Matovu is a key member of the academic neurology faculty. He actively supervises MMED internal medicine residents, undergraduate medical students, and fellows rotating in neurology, internal medicine, and neurosciences.
His academic teaching portfolio includes:
- Advanced neuroanatomy and clinical neurology lectures for medical students
- Bedside teaching and ward-based neurology tutorials
- Research methods training for residents pursuing dissertations in neurological topics
- Hosting and organizing continuing professional development (CPD) sessions on epilepsy care, stroke management, and neurological emergencies
In terms of research, Dr. Matovu has contributed to landmark studies on epilepsy, stroke risk stratification, and breakthrough seizures in adult populations. One notable study conducted at Mulago Hospital focused on the causes and clinical patterns of breakthrough seizures in patients with known epilepsy. The study highlighted how factors such as missed antiepileptic doses, CNS infections, and stressors played significant roles in seizure exacerbation. These findings have directly informed local care guidelines and educational campaigns for epilepsy patients.
His collaborations extend beyond Uganda, having partnered with regional and international researchers in studies that assess neurologic disease burden, barriers to neurodiagnostic access, and the role of infections and comorbidities in shaping neurologic outcomes in African contexts.
Clinical Practice, Private Sector Roles, and Systemic Health Engagement
In addition to his national-level role at Mulago Hospital, Dr. Matovu maintains a vibrant and far-reaching presence in the private health sector. He is the founder and lead neurologist at SM Medical Centre in Nansana, a growing peri-urban area near Kampala. Here, he extends specialized care to community-level patients, often serving as the first point of contact for individuals with chronic neurological complaints that have been misdiagnosed or poorly managed elsewhere.
He also holds a consultant role at Nakasero Hospital, one of Uganda’s leading private hospitals, where he offers specialized care in a multidisciplinary setting. His patients at Nakasero include individuals with rare or complex neurological disorders requiring advanced imaging, prolonged neuro-monitoring, or multidisciplinary rehabilitation.
Through both public and private sector roles, Dr. Matovu serves a broad spectrum of the Ugandan population, including underserved urban, peri-urban, and rural communities.
His leadership extends to national policy discussions and advocacy for improved neurological care access, including:
- Increasing MRI and CT scan availability
- Promoting essential medicine availability for epilepsy and stroke
- Strengthening referral pathways between primary care and specialized neurology services
- Supporting training of clinical officers and general practitioners in neurology triage and recognition
