Jane Ruth Aceng
Born (1968-05-11) May 11, 1968
Uganda
NationalityUgandan
CitizenshipUganda
Alma materMakerere University (MBBS, MMed, MPH)
Galilee International Management Institute (Diploma in Health Systems Management)
Occupation(s)Pediatrician, researcher, medical administrator
Years active1995 — present
Known forPublic service
TitleCabinet Minister of Health
Ugandan Cabinet

Jane Ruth Aceng (born 11 May 1968) is a Ugandan pediatrician and politician. She is the Minister of Health in the Cabinet of Uganda. She was appointed to that position on 6 June 2016.[1] Before that, from June 2011 until June 2016, she served as the Director General of Medical Services in the Ugandan Ministry of Health.[2]

Background and education

Aceng was born on 11 May 1968. She attended Shimoni Primary School in Kampala, Uganda's capital city. She studied at Nabisunsa Girls Secondary School for both her Ordinary and Advanced Level education.[3] She holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, a Master of Medicine in Pediatrics, and a Master of Public Health, all from the Makerere University College of Health Sciences. She also holds a Diploma in Health Systems Management awarded by the Galilee International Management Institute, in Israel.[3][4]

Career

Aceng began serving as a medical officer[5] in the health ministry.[4] At the time she was appointed Director General of Medical Services, she was serving as executive director of Lira Regional Referral Hospital.[2]

Other considerations

Aceng is a member of the board of directors of the Infectious Diseases Institute.[4] She also served as a member of the board of Uganda National Medical Stores, the pharmaceutical procurement and distribution arm of the health ministry, from 2005 until 2016.[2][3]

Political career

In July 2020, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng declared her intentions to contest for the position of Women Representative for Lira District, in the 11th Parliament (2021 - 2026). She intends to run on the ruling National Resistance Movement political party ticket.[6]

Controversy

As early as 2014, three variables in the national health system began to converge to the level of a crisis.

  • Uganda has at least 8 public and private medical schools, graduating close to 500 medical doctors annually.[7] Before they receive their medical licenses, each doctor has to undergo 12 months of rigorous supervision under a consultant physician or surgeon.[7]
  • Due to poor pay, dilapidated equipment, lack of resources including medication and a poor work environment, many Ugandan medical and surgical consultants have left to work in better environments in other countries.[8][9]
  • The small national healthcare budget leaves the health ministry with insufficient funds to pay the few consultants left, the senior house officers (SHOs) training to become consultants, and the ever-increasing number of interns working so they can get licensed.[10]

As a consequence, the ministry of health has been pitted against the SHOs who are not compensated at all and the interns who are poorly and irregularly paid.[9] In an attempt to conserve funds, Aceng as minister has accused some universities of graduating too many substandard doctors,[11] although both the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council (UMDPC) and the East African Community Medical and Dental Practitioners Boards and Councils disagree with her. These are the statutory government agencies in the East African Community which are mandated to maintain the standard of medical and dental training and physician and dentist competency.[11][12]

As of 2016, perhaps the most controversial of Aceng´s proposals is the new requirement that interns take a new national examination, before the health ministry can assign them an internship slot.[13][14] This has not gone well with the 2016/2017 intern class, prompting a lawsuit that is winding through the legal system.[15]

Research works

Aceng has participated and published widely in the field of medicine and some of her works are outlined below;

  • 2021: The Ugandan Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome -Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Model: A Data Driven Approach to Estimate Risk[16]
  • 2020: Estimating the Effect and Cost-Effectiveness of Facemasks in Reducing the Spread of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Uganda[17]
  • 2020: Family Health Days program contributions in vaccination of unreached and under-immunized children during routine vaccinations in Uganda[18]
  • 2019: Uganda's experience in Ebola virus disease outbreak preparedness, 2018–2019.[19]
  • 2018: Prevalence of protective tetanus antibodies and immunological response following tetanus toxoid vaccination among men seeking medical circumcision services in Uganda[20]
  • 2016: Tetanus Cases After Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision for HIV Prevention - Eastern and Southern Africa, 2012-2015[21]
  • 2015: Multidistrict outbreak of Marburg virus disease—Uganda, 2012.[22]
  • 2015: Is the glass half full or half empty? A qualitative exploration on treatment practices and perceived barriers to biomedical care for patients with nodding syndrome in post-conflict northern Uganda[23]
  • 2014: Ebola Viral Hemorrhagic Disease Outbreak in West Africa- Lessons from Uganda.[24]
  • 2013: Nodding syndrome in Ugandan children—clinical features, brain imaging and complications: a case series[25]
  • 2005: Rectal artemether versus intravenous quinine for the treatment of cerebral malaria in children in Uganda: randomised clinical trial[26]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Uganda State House (6 June 2016). "Museveni's new cabinet list At 6 June 2016" (PDF). Daily Monitor. Kampala. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Ephraim Kasozi (29 June 2011). "Lira Hospital boss appointed director general of health services". Daily Monitor Mobile. Kampala. Archived from the original on 26 January 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 Parliament of Uganda (2016). "Parliament of Uganda, Members of the 10th Parliament: Aceng Jane Ruth". Kampala: Parliament of Uganda. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 Infectious Diseases Institute (16 July 2016). "Infectious Diseases Institute: Board Members: Dr Jane Ruth Aceng". Kampala: Infectious Diseases Institute. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  5. ↑ Agaba, John (2 June 2016). "No new cases of yellow fever disease - Health". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  6. ↑ Paul Ampurire (5 July 2020). "Health Minister Dr Aceng To Contest For Lira District Woman MP". Kampala: SoftPower Uganda.
  7. 1 2 Atwiine, Barnabas (3 September 2014). "Internship crisis: Finally, Uganda has 'too many' doctors". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  8. ↑ Ayebazibwe, Agatha (6 August 2013). "2,000 doctors leave country in 10 years". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  9. 1 2 Mwesigwa, Alon (10 February 2015). "Uganda crippled by medical brain drain". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  10. ↑ Butagira, Tabu (20 August 2013). "Government spends Shs2,500 a month on each citizen's healthcare". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  11. 1 2 Kitubi, Martin (14 September 2016). "Medical Council backs Kampala International University on doctors". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  12. ↑ Patience Ahimbisibwe, and Emmanuel Ainebyona (19 June 2016). "EAC probe queries medical training in Ugandan Universities". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  13. ↑ "Pre-Intern Medical Exams Divide Health Minister, MPs". Kampala: Business Guide Africa. 7 September 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  14. ↑ Kasanga, Kyetume (30 September 2016). "Pre-entry exams for medical interns will ensure quality healthcare". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  15. ↑ Odeng, Michael; Kabahumuza, Barbra (23 September 2016). "Medical Interns Sue Health Minister". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  16. ↑ Nannyonga, Betty; Bosa, Henry Kyobe; Woldermariam, Yonas Tegegn; Kaleebu, Pontiano (2 January 2021). "The Ugandan Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome -Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Model: A Data Driven Approach to Estimate Risk". medRxiv 10.1101/2020.12.28.20248922v1.
  17. ↑ Nannyonga, Betty K; Wanyenze, Rhoda K; Kaleebu, Pontiano (12 June 2020). "Estimating the Effect and Cost-Effectiveness of Facemasks in Reducing the Spread of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Uganda". medRxiv 10.1101/2020.06.11.20128272v1.
  18. ↑ Mupere, Ezekiel; Babikako, Harriet M.; Okaba-Kayom, Violet; Mutyaba, Robert B.; Mwisaka, Milton Nasiero; Tenywa, Emmanuel; Lule, Albert; Aceng, Jane Ruth; Mpanga-Kaggwa, Flavia; Matseketse, David (17 January 2020). "Family Health Days program contributions in vaccination of unreached and under-immunized children during routine vaccinations in Uganda". PLOS ONE. 15 (1): e0218239. Bibcode:2020PLoSO..1518239M. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0218239. PMC 6968838. PMID 31951608.
  19. ↑ Aceng, Jane Ruth; Ario, Alex R.; Muruta, Allan N.; Makumbi, Issa (19 March 2020). "Uganda's experience in Ebola virus disease outbreak preparedness, 2018–2019". Globalization and Health. 16 (24): 24. doi:10.1186/s12992-020-00548-5. PMC 7081536. PMID 32192540.
  20. ↑ Makumbi, Fredrick; Byabagambi, John; Muwanika, Richard; Kigozi, Godfrey (31 December 2018). "Prevalence of protective tetanus antibodies and immunological response following tetanus toxoid vaccination among men seeking medical circumcision services in Uganda". PLOS ONE. 13 (12): e0209167. Bibcode:2018PLoSO..1309167M. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0209167. PMC 6312241. PMID 30596676.
  21. ↑ Grund, Jonathan M; Toledo, Carlos; Davis, Stephanie M; Ridzon, Renee (22 January 2016). "Tetanus Cases After Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision for HIV Prevention - Eastern and Southern Africa, 2012-2015". Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 65 (2): 36–37. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6502a5. PMID 26797167. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  22. ↑ Knust, Barbara; Schafer, llana J.; Wamala, Joseph; Nyakarahuka, Luke (23 July 2015). "Multidistrict outbreak of Marburg virus disease—Uganda, 2012". The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 212 (Suppl 2): S119-28. doi:10.1093/infdis/jiv351. PMC 5649344. PMID 26209681. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  23. ↑ Mwaka, Amos Deogratius; Okello, Elialilia S.; Abbo, Catherine; Odwong, Francis Okot (29 August 2015). "Is the glass half full or half empty? A qualitative exploration on treatment practices and perceived barriers to biomedical care for patients with nodding syndrome in post-conflict northern Uganda". BMC Research Notes. 8 (386): 386. doi:10.1186/s13104-015-1323-5. PMC 4552991. PMID 26318338. S2CID 12049788.
  24. ↑ Mbonye, AK; Wamala, JF; Nanyunja, M; Opio, A; Makumbi, I; Aceng, JR (2014). "Ebola Viral Hemorrhagic Disease Outbreak in West Africa- Lessons from Uganda". African Health Sciences. 14 (3): 495–501. doi:10.4314/ahs.v14i3.1. PMC 4209631. PMID 25352864. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  25. ↑ Idro, Richard; Opoka, Robert Opika; Aanyu, Hellen T (2013). "Nodding syndrome in Ugandan children—clinical features, brain imaging and complications: a case series" (PDF). BMJ Open. 10 (1136): 1. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-002540. PMC 3646179. PMID 23645924. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  26. ↑ Aceng, Jane Ruth; Byarugaba, Justus S; Tumwine, James K (10 February 2005). "Rectal artemether versus intravenous quinine for the treatment of cerebral malaria in children in Uganda: randomised clinical trial". BMJ. 330 (7487): 334. doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7487.334. PMC 548725. PMID 15705690. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
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