Ugandans are mourning the death of Dr. Stephen Malinga, the Minister in Charge of Disaster Preparedness. It is ironical that the senior Doctor that Malinga is, and immediate former minister of health could die suddenly as he reportedly collapsed last night shortly after taking his supper.
It is suspected that Dr. Malinga died of a heart attack. at his home in Butebo, Palissa district Although his body has been taken to Mbale regional referral hospital for a postem, it is publicly known that malinga has been battling with hypertension (High blood pressure) for a long time.
Dr. Malinga a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology had a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from Makerere University. He was also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and Fellow of the International College of Surgeons.
RIP. Dr. Stephen Malinga
Between 1973 and 1977, he served as a consultant at Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Illinois in USA. From 1978 until 1985, he served as the Chairperson in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jackson Park Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, USA. He then served as a consultant at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Illinois a suburb of Chicago.
In 1996, Dr. Mallinga returned to Uganda where he began his political career. Malinga was the Member of Parliament for Butembo County in Palissa from 1996 until his time of death on 11th April 2013. He also formerly served as the Minister of Health from 2006 – 2011 before he was later appointed as Minister of Disaster Preparedness in May 2011
That was after he crossed from the opposition Uganda People’s Congress UPC to the rulling National Resistance Movement party. Dr. Malinga served as the chairman of the UPC caucus in the 7th Parliament until March 1st, 2005, when crossed to the NRM.
Dr. Malinga was believed to be among the most hardworking and technically able ministers in the last term and it came as a surprise when he was transferred from Health to Disaster Preparedness.