Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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New Vision (Kampala) - November 6, 2007
Flavia Nakagwa
Akello, a former Murchison Bay Prison Hospital administrator, participated in the development of the Rakai district HIV/AIDS strategic plan for 2006/11 and designed a monitoring and evaluation system for HIV/AIDS interventions for the district.
Born to John and Betty Omona, Akello is the first born out of six children.
Speaking at the award-giving ceremony for the 2005/07 Institute of Public Health fellows at Kabira Country Club on Friday, the Dean of the Makerere Institute of Public Health, Prof. David Serwadda, praised Akello as an extra-ordinary team-player.
"Akello created a niche as a team-player, committed to completion of assignments and is an innovative technical person."
He applauded her for demonstrating selflessness, dedication to her career, exceptional professionalism and special leadership qualities.
"These were attributes exhibited by the late Lukwiya, our fallen public health hero to whom we pay tribute." Lukwiya headed the Lacor clinical team caring for patients with Ebola.
This put him at great risk while he was working at Lacor Hospital in Gulu at the time the Ebola epidemic broke out in 2000.
In the course of his work, Lukwiya got infected with the Ebola virus, leading to his death.
He showed remarkable investigation skills by recognising the clinical manifestation of the Ebola infection.
While commending the school of public health, the acting US ambassador, Andrew Chritton, said the school was one of the few in Africa that had developed and implemented reputable training programmes on HIV leadership and management of AIDS programmes.
Chritton pointed out that the HIV/AIDS pandemic was the largest socio-epidemic and health problem of our time.
"The pain and suffering resulting from the disease is immense and has left in its wake anguished families, orphaned children and ravaged communities.
The US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief that supports local and national efforts to expand HIV/AIDS prevention care and treatment services has been of great assistance in fighting the pandemic."
Lukwiya's widow Margaret attended the awards for the first time since they were inaugurated.
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