Health minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng has revealed what exactly killed Jacob L’Okori Oulanyah, the former speaker of the 11th Parliament.
Speaker Oulanyah died on March 20. (Read Story Here).
Oulanyah’s body was returned on April 01 amidst tears at the Entebbe International Airport. (Read Story Here).
The former speaker’s body was taken to his home in Muyenga, Kampala, on April 03. (Read Story Here).
A special sitting to pay tribute to Oulanyah is currently ongoing. (Read Story Here).
During the sitting, Speaker Anita Annet Among asked for a brief medical report from Minister of Health on the health and death of Oulanyah.
Aceng was with Oulanyah in Seattle hospital before his demise.
Minister Aceng revealed that Oulanyah had been diagnosed with cancer in 2019 after he developed a swelling on his neck.
“The ill health of the speaker started in 2019. In 2019, he discovered a swelling in the neck. It was relatively a big swelling,” explained Aceng.
“He took it upon himself to seek medical attention in Germany. The swelling was removed and analyzed and he was told it was a cancer.”
Aceng went on to inform plenary that Oulanyah sought treatment at the Uganda Cancer Institute and in other hospitals in and out of the country.
“He was started on treatment which he finished in Uganda Cancer Institute. He subsequently visited several other hospitals,” she said.
“But he had challenges during the lockdown and elections as he was not able to be in hospital.”
On the immediate cause of Oulanyah’s death, Aceng said: “The immediate cause of death was multiple organ failure; heart, lungs, liver, and kidney failure. He had multiple infections discovered both here and in Seattle.”
WHAT ELSE DID ACENG SAY ABOUT OULANYAH’S SICKNESS AND DEATH?
- On January 23, he was admitted to Mulago where he was to stay for two weeks as we prepared him to travel. This is the reason why visitors were barred since he was being protected from infection because his bone marrow had become dysfunctional.
- On February 03, five people left for Seattle together with the Holy spirit. These included two attendants, his security and Dr Jackson to ensure the hospital receives him and attends to him.
- Several tests were redone and biopsy tissues from different hospitals were recalled.
- Jacob Oulanyah’s liver started failing while still in Uganda and lungs had started filling with fluid. The heart and kidney failed in Seattle.
- Subsidiary cause of death: Oulanyah had multiple bacterial infections and the treatment for the viral infection further weakened his bone marrow responsible for producing blood cells.
There had been questions about what really killed Oulanyah.
Oulanyah’s father had claimed that his son was poisoned. (Read Story Here).
The Acholi Paramount Chief also alleged that Oulanyah had been poisoned. (Read Story Here)
But government insisted that the speaker died of natural causes.
And some Ugandans continued spreading ‘false’ reports that Oulanyah had been poisoned.
President Museveni ordered police to arrest all those claiming that Oulanyah had been poisoned. (Read Story Here).
Bobi Wine to Museveni: Jacob Oulanyah’s Father Said His Son Was Poisoned; Will You Arrest Him?