// DATA SCIENTIST & RESEARCHER

Alex Mirugwe

Building AI that saves lives in African healthcare

Machine Learning  |  Deep Learning  |  Health Informatics

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// About

Who I Am

Alex Mirugwe

About Me

I'm a Data Scientist with 4+ years building ML solutions for real-world healthcare challenges -- HIV patient retention, cervical cancer screening, TB detection, and outbreak response. I work at the intersection of AI and public health, turning messy clinical data into tools that help clinicians make better decisions.

What Drives Me

Healthcare in resource-constrained settings shouldn't mean lower-quality care. I build AI systems that close that gap -- making early diagnosis accessible, predicting patient dropout before it happens, and helping health systems respond faster to outbreaks. My goal: intelligent health infrastructure that works where it's needed most.

Core Expertise

Machine Learning
Deep Learning
NLP
Health Informatics
Medical Imaging
Geospatial Modelling
Time-Series
Data Visualization

Tech Stack

Python R SQL TensorFlow PyTorch Keras Scikit-Learn OpenCV LangChain AWS MLFlow GIT PowerBI LaTeX
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// Resume

Experience & Education

Work Experience

April 2022 - Present

Data Scientist

Makerere University School of Public Health (METS-CDC Project)
  • Developed a machine learning model to predict HIV patient dropout, enabling proactive interventions.
  • Designed a deep learning algorithm for cervical cancer screening, improving accuracy and early detection.
  • Created a patient matching algorithm to reduce HIV patient data duplicates by 4.8%.
  • Supported Ebola outbreak response with statistical analysis in September 2022.
  • Conducted sentiment analysis on Ebola social media data to inform risk communication.
January 2022 - Present

Assistant Lecturer

Faculty of Science, Victoria University, Kampala
  • Taught courses including Python, Machine Learning, and AI.
  • Developed course materials and assignments to enhance learning.
  • Contributed to curriculum development for Software Engineering and Blockchain programs.
Jan 2021 - Sept 2021

Tutor

Department of Computer Science, University of Cape Town
  • Supervised lab sessions on machine learning topics like regression and SVMs.
  • Prepared instructional materials to enhance understanding.
  • Guided students on projects and collaborated on course content.

Education

Jan 2020 - Nov 2021

MSc. Data Science

University of Cape Town, South Africa
Aug 2014 - June 2019

BSc. Computer Engineering

Makerere University, Uganda

Online Certifications

Coursera

Data & Health Indicators Epidemiologic Tools Data Foundations Neural Networks & DL

DataCamp

Supervised Learning in R Credit Risk Modeling EDA in Python Logistic Regression Relational Databases Data Visualization

YALI Regional Leadership Center

Climate Change Renewable Energy
// Portfolio

Featured Projects

Projects showcasing expertise in machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, and NLP, with applications in healthcare and ecology.

Cervical Cancer Screening
Featured Project

Cervical Cancer Screening

Deep Learning Medical Imaging TensorFlow

AI-powered screening tool that improved early cervical cancer detection accuracy in Uganda, enabling faster diagnosis in underserved clinical settings.

View Project
Patient Matching Algorithm

Patient Matching Algorithm

NLP Record Linkage

Reduced HIV patient data duplicates by 4.8% across Uganda's national health system.

View Project
Sentiment Analysis

Ebola Sentiment Analysis

NLP Deep Learning

Analyzed public sentiment during Uganda's 2022 Ebola outbreak to inform risk communication strategies.

View Project
Webcam Bird Detection

Webcam Bird Detection

Computer Vision CNN

Automated bird species detection from webcam footage -- MSc thesis project at University of Cape Town.

View Project
Recommendation Systems

Recommendation Systems

Collaborative Filtering Python

ML-based recommendation engine for personalized content delivery.

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Encryption and Decryption

Data Encryption Suite

AES RSA Security

Implementation of AES and RSA encryption algorithms for secure healthcare data protection.

View Project
// Services

What I Offer

Consultancy

Leverage AI technologies like machine learning and NLP to enhance healthcare services.

Data Analysis

Extract insights from diverse datasets with analytical reports and dynamic dashboards.

Data Mining

Use advanced statistical and ML techniques to gain predictive insights.

Training

Comprehensive training in statistics, data analysis, and machine learning with R and Python.

// Publications

Research & Papers

01
Improving Tuberculosis Detection in Chest X-Ray Images Through Transfer Learning and Deep Learning 2025JMIRx Med, Vol. 5 JMIRx Med
02
Sentiment Analysis of Social Media Data on Ebola Outbreak Using Deep Learning Classifiers 2024MDPI Life, 14, 708 MDPI
03
Cervical Cancer Screening: AI Algorithm for Automatic Diagnostic Support 2023Translational Medicine, Vol. 13, Iss. 13 ResearchGate
04
Digital Outbreak Response System: Go.Data Tool for Ebola Data Management in Uganda 2023AJPMPH, Vol. 9, No. 5 ResearchGate
05
Automating Bird Detection Based on Webcam Captured Images Using Deep Learning 2022Proc. 43rd Conf. of the South African Institute, Vol. 85, pp. 62-76 Google Scholar
06
Adoption of Artificial Intelligence in the Ugandan Health Sector: A Review 2023Preprint ResearchGate
07
Restaurant Tip Prediction Using Linear Regression 2021IJDSBDA, Vol. 1, Iss. 2, pp. 31-38 ResearchGate
// Blog

Latest Articles

Explore my latest thoughts and insights on data science and AI.

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June 24, 2025

Why Skipping the Basics in AI Creates Pseudo-Experts

AI tools are ubiquitous, but many overlook the basics and end up with a superficial understanding. In this piece, I explain why that matters and how to build real expertise.

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June 12, 2025

AI Panic: Why Strategy Must Come Before Hype

Too many teams and organizations dive into AI without a clear plan - no defined use cases, no ROI thinking, just fear of missing out. This article unpacks why hype isn't enough and what real strategy looks like.

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February 17, 2025

Where is Africa in the AI Conversation?

Africa is missing from the global AI revolution. Why? What can be done? This article explores the challenges and opportunities for AI in Africa.

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October 7, 2024

OpenAI's 5-Gigawatt Data Centers: Marvel or Energy Crisis?

OpenAI's ambitious proposal to build 5-to-7 massive 5-gigawatt data centers. I explore what this means for AI development, global energy use, and sustainability.

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// Contact

Get in Touch

I'm open to questions, ideas, or collaboration opportunities. Reach out to discuss how I can help you achieve your goals.

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Location

Plot 20A Kawalya Kaggwa Close
Kololo Kampala, Uganda

Email

mirugwealex@gmail.com
amirugwe@musph.ac.ug

Phone

(+256) 701 120534
(+27) 73 706 2534