Scaling HPV vaccination in Uganda: an improved adolescent health agenda

Dr. Ampeire Immaculate is a Ugandan medical doctor who has worked with the Ministry of Health since 2011. She holds a Master of Science in epidemiology and biostatistics. Dr. Ampeire develops policies; guidelines; planning; coordination with partners, stakeholders and districts; and supports supervision and capacity building on immunization. She is a result-oriented Senior Medical Officer and immunization champion at the Uganda National Expanded Program on Immunization (UNEPI) within the Ministry of Health. In the last decade, her role has evolved around conducting planning meetings; engaging and orienting stakeholders and partners to review performance, based on program assessments and research, to identify mitigation measures on the five operational components of immunization: management; service delivery; Vaccine Preventable Diseases surveillance; communication; logistics and cold chain. Dr. Ampeire is also experienced designing and implementing research, conducting policy analysis, project/program management and monitoring and evaluation. She has been pivotal in Uganda’s success story introducing over five new vaccines into the nation’s routine immunization program (including HPV), and over 10 mass vaccination campaigns. 

Dr. Amongin is a health scientist with over 20 years of experience in Reproductive Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH), research, clinical care, programming and policy formulation. Specialized in Public Health and Obstetrics and Gynecology, her PhD research focused on understanding the trends and trajectories in repeat adolescent birth in Uganda. Dr. Amongin directly supports programming, policy generation and dissemination at the Ministry of Health (MoH) Uganda. Currently, Dinah provides technical assistance to the Adolescent Health Division (ADH) of the MoH in enhancing multi-sectoral collaboration for ADH programming. Dr Amongin’s career goal is to contribute to the generation and implementation of cost-effective evidence-based interventions that address Uganda’s priority public health challenges.

Edith is a Ugandan female with a master’s degree in Gender Globalization and Human rights from the National University of Ireland Galway, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation. She has a wealth of experience in social development, in the sectors of health, education, production and transport. She has worked with government, private sector, and civil society organizations. Edith is enthusiastic about social inclusion and has dedicated a larger part of her career to gender mainstreaming and women's human rights. She is currently a Senior Girls and Women's Empowerment Specialist at the World Bank, supporting Task Teams in the Human Capital Development sectors: Health, Nutrition and Population; Education; and Social Protection. Edith currently coordinates HPV activities in Uganda, Kenya, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Edith supports countries to ensure the issues of girls and women are brought to the forefront throughout the life stages of projects. Edith hopes to contribute towards Sustainable Development Goal 5, and dreams of a time when there will be an enabling environment for all girls and women to thrive to their fullest potential.