Jane Aceng

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Jane Ruth Aceng
Aceng Jane Ruth Ocero.jpg
Born (1968-05-11) 11 May 1968 (age 56)
NationalityUgandan
CitizenshipUganda
Alma mater Makerere University (MBChB, MMed, MPH)
Galilee International Management Institute (Diploma in Health Systems Management)
Occupation(s)Pediatrician, researcher, medical administrator
Years active1995 — present
Known for Public service
Title Cabinet 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]

Contents

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

Ugandan Health Minister Dr. Jane Aceng Ugandan Health Minister Dr. Jane Aceng (37922701691).jpg
Ugandan Health Minister Dr. Jane Aceng

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.

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

Admiral Tim Ziemer, Ugandan Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, and Ugandan Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng at closing press conference of the Global Health Security Agenda Ministerial Meeting Closing Press Conference (37948353651).jpg
Admiral Tim Ziemer, Ugandan Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, and Ugandan Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng at closing press conference of the Global Health Security Agenda Ministerial Meeting

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

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

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  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.
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