Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bernard Omech 
Co-Investigator
Graduate Training and Research  Centre, Lira University,  Uganda

Dr. Bernard Omech is a physician, public health expert, and implementation researcher with over 24 years of medical practice in Uganda and Botswana. He is currently the Acting Director of Graduate Training and Research at Lira University and serves as the Centre Coordinator for the university’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SET-SRHR) Center.

Dr. Omech obtained his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) and Master of Medicine in Internal Medicine (M.Med) from Makerere University in 2000 and 2009, respectively. He further specialized in public and international health development, earning a Master of Science from the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam. His career spans clinical practice, academia, and health systems research, including roles as a medical officer at Pope John’s Hospital Aber, an internist and lecturer at Kampala International University, and an expatriate faculty member at the University of Botswana (2012–2016).

Dr. Omech’s research is dedicated to improving the management of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and strengthening primary healthcare systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. His work addresses the intersection of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, mental health, maternal and child health, and infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

He has led and collaborated on multiple large-scale health initiatives, including:

CHASE Poverty and Hunger Project (2020–2023): A multi-sectoral agriculture and nutrition initiative co-funded by the European Union (EUR 5.16 million), implemented in partnership with the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO). This project expanded universal health coverage by integrating adolescent-friendly family planning services across eight districts in Northern Uganda.

CAFFP-PAC Project (Ongoing): Principal Investigator for the "Enhancing Adolescents' Sexual and Reproductive Health in Northern Uganda" project, funded by IDRC, Global Affairs Canada, and CIHR (CAD 1.2 million). This initiative employs a citizen science, gender-transformative approach to improving adolescent SRH access in underserved communities.

M-CARE Project & PhD Research (Ongoing): As a Co-Principal Investigator and doctoral researcher at the University of Amsterdam, Dr. Omech is leading the Ugandan site- Implementation of an Integrated Care Model for Patients with Multiple Cardiometabolic and Mental Health Conditions in Sub-Saharan Africa. This project seeks to enhance the delivery of chronic disease care at the primary healthcare level, addressing the growing burden of multiple long-term conditions in resource-limited settings.