President Museveni.
President Yoweri Museveni last week appointed, Dr Diana Atwiine, as the new Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health replacing long serving Permanent Secretary, Dr. Asuman Lukwago, who has been at loggerheads with some ministry’s officials a situation which had threatened to paralyse operations at the ministry.
Dr.Atwiine who is a Physician (Specialist in Internal Medicine) has until her appointment as PS Ministry of Health been working as the Director at the Health Monitoring Unit of State House since 2009.
Dr. Diana Atwiine the newly appointed Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary.
Atwiine has be instrumental in using intelligence to crack down on drug theft in public health facilities across the country and has often criticized districts for lack of proper planning often causing delays in accessing drugs from the National Medical Stores (NMS).
She joins the Ministry of Health at a time when there has been an intense power struggle pitting Dr. Lukwago and her former junior now new Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng.
Dr Aceng who was previously a Director General of Health Services, was elevated to the position of Minister of Health and hence supervisor of Dr. Lukwago a situation that has caused tension between the 2 in the past few months.
It is said Dr. Lukwago even declined to cooperate with Aceng often refusing to attend meetings called by the Minister in the official boardroom.
However, in what analysts see as a move to neuturalise tensions that had threatened to paralyses work at the Ministry, President Museveni appointment comes at a time when Lukwago and Aceng where not looking eye to eye.
Some officials have often accused Lukwago of being corrupt, incompetent and arrogance among other
Whereas many people will ask questions on the dramatic exit of Dr. Lukwago after serving the Health Ministry for this long period, all eyes will now be fixed on Dr. Atwiine to prove her worthy in streamline operations of the Ministry often criticised for lack of proper planning and corruption among other ills.
Many people have also said the President wants to see a radical change in the Ministry of Health in order to effectively serve the communities. Already there are whispers of a reshuffle among staff and many are worried that Dr. Atwiine may do the sweeping similarly experienced at the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) by Allen Kagina the Executive Director.
According to information posted on the Health Monitoring Unit website of Uganda, Atwiine has skills in Leadership and Management which she has studied from various institutions. She was previously a senior researcher in HIV and infectious diseases at the Joint Clinical Research Center (JCRC) for over 10 years.
It adds that she is passionate about clinical care and medical ethics in practice as well as contributing to ensuring that health services are of quality, accessible, equitable and available to all Ugandans. She is married with 3 children.