Ndyanabangi: Anti-tobacco crusader succumbs to cancer

What you need to know:

Praised. Sheila Ndyanabangi will be remembered as one of the few women on the continent who fearlessly defended the cause of a tobacco-free Africa.

She was a strong advocate of anti-smoking among Ugandans and in all her messages, she detested the consumption of tobacco, well aware of its dangers.

In one of the workshops organised for journalists by the Uganda Health Communication Alliance in Kampala four years ago, Dr Sheila Zaramba Ndyanabangi, one of the facilitators, presented a paper highlighting the dangers associated with tobacco consumption and how it is harmful to one’s health.

She asserted that tobacco smoking causes various ailments including cancer.
Little did she know that she would die from the same.

Ndyanabangi’s candle burned out on the morning of Saturday at Mulago National Referral Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after battling cervical cancer, according to the Ministry of Health.
The cause of her death was also confirmed by Ms Jeninah Nasiomoro, her elder sister in a telephone interview with Daily Monitor yesterday. “Our sister died of cervical cancer at Mulago ICU unit on the morning of Saturday August 25, 2018,” she said.

Ms Nasiomoro hails her sister as a strong, passionate, firm and energetic person who was compassionate with a strong religious background.
“She loved her family so much and liked being with them all the time. We will always remember her for her profound love and mentorship. As a family, we have lost someone everyone would look up to when faced with challenges.”

At the time of her death, she had been working as the principal medical officer-in-charge of mental health and substance abuse at the Ministry of Health. She was taken to ICU a week ago after having difficulty in breathing.
She was, however, diagnosed with cancer of the uterus in 2016.

Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the Health ministry senior spokesperson, told Daily Monitor on Saturday: “She went for further check-up in India where she was declared cancer free towards the end of 2016. However, she continued going for monitoring and during one of her routine checks, in 2017, a blood test indicated that the cancer had spread to other organs in the lower abdomen, and was operated again to remove a swelling that had grown bigger.”

Dr Ruth Jane Aceng, the minister of Health remembers Dr Ndyanabangi’s contribution in the passing of the tobacco control law as well as raising awareness on mental health in Uganda.

Africa No Tobacco, a local NGO advocating against tobacco use, praised Ndyanabangi for her tough stance against smoking.
“(Ndyanabangi) Dr Sheila’s enormous contributions to the Tobacco Control Act are exemplary.
She will be remembered as one of the few women on the continent who fearlessly faced the challenges of defending the cause of a tobacco-free Africa. Adieu our dear mother. We will greatly miss you,” reads a message from the NGO.

Mr Moses Talibita, a legal officer at Uganda National Health Consumers’ Organisation (UNHCO), described her death as a big blow to the on-going campaign on the effective implementation of the tobacco law in the country.
“Her tobacco control work touched and shaped many young people,” Mr Talibita said.

Dr Wondi Alemu‏, the World Health Organisation and head of mission to Nigeria said: “During my tenure in Uganda, I came to appreciate her focus and tenacity in the implementation of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.”
Mr Joel Shunza Gitali‏, chair, Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance said: “We are praying that the Ugandan team gets even tougher as it leads the region in rewarding our mentor by doing what she would have loved done. This was an international TC General.”

BACKGROUND
Tobacco fight. Ndyanabangi championed the passing of the Tobacco Control Act (2015) which regulates the consumption and supply of tobacco and its products. Astute and resolute, Ndyanabangi and a number of tobacco control advocates put a spirited fight to see the bill passed into law. Up to her death bed, she advocated for the implementation of the Tobacco Control Act.

Biography.
Born in 1956 to Musa and Zipora Zaramba of Kirwa in Ruhita, Kabale District, Dr Sheila Zaramba Ndyanabangi was the last born in a family of 11.
Together with her husband Dr Nathan Ndyanabangi, were blessed with three children: Kevin Twebaze Ndyanabangi, Dr Victoria Kobusingye Ndyanabangi and Justine Blanch Tuhairwebyona Ndyanabangi.

She went to Horby High School, Kabale Secondary, Bweranyangi Girls School, St Theresa Namagunga Primary School and Mt. Saint Mary’s Namagunga Secondary School for her primary and secondary education respectively. She joined Makerere University Medical School (MBCHB) - Makerere University School of Public Healthy for her degree. After graduation, she worked as a medical officer at Mulago hospital.

She was transferred to Butabika hospital as a medical officer, rising through the ranks to become a senior medical officer in charge of child health at the Ministry of Health, senior medical officer (Mental Health) and principal medical officer, and mental health and substance abuse.

She also held several responsibilities in the Anglican Church, especially in the Mothers Union rising through ranks to become president of Mothers Union Kampala Diocese.
Burial. She will be buried tomorrow in Kasherengyenyi, Kabale District. Her burial will be preceded by a funeral service today at 9am at All Saints Cathedral, Nakasero.