Dr.Zainab Akol
Zainab Akol is a medical doctor by profession and she is currently the Aids Control Program Manager in the Ministry of Health. As the teachings of Islam make it clear, every child is born a Muslim. It is the circumstances under which the child is brought up that determine whether the child will grow up practicing Islam or not. Dr. Zainab, a former staunch catholic was therefore no exception. During an interview with The Torch, Dr. Zainab said she was able to realise this in 1980s when she was at Makerere University pursuing a bachelors in medicine.
“A lot of things happened to me before I embraced Islam and all of them were pointing me to Islam” said the doctor from Ngora in Eastern Uganda. “I saw and went through unbelievable experiences while living with priests and nuns in the church and I was very disappointed” added doctor Zainab. She said she witnessed a case where a nun had an abortion after a priest made her pregnant. “Such things drew me away from and as if God heard my prayers, I embraced Islam through marriage” confided the doctor.
“When I finally made Shahadah (officially embraced Islam) and decided to perform Nikah with Omar, I hurt many people including my parents, family and friends but there was no turning back” she affirmed adding “I am a Muslim until death despite all the challenges and errors”
Dr. Zainab says she had no major problems coping with the Islamic life and practices, and she attributes this to her previous dedication to the creator.
“By the time I made Shahadah, I already had a strong attachment to God through the catholic church” she said. This should not be surprising because according to well informed sources, 85% of the bible is Islam.
Her title of doctor has however overshadowed her other title of Hajat Zainab. She has performed pilgrimage two times – 1988&1991and she describes the two experiences as turning points in her life as a Muslim woman.
Dr. Zainab, a mother of four wonderful children – two girls and two boys has used her medical background to serve Islam and her country Uganda since 1985. She has worked with Old Kampala, Grade B Entebbe, Kibuli, Butabika Hospital, UNDP and UNAIDS. She was also attached to organisations like Munathamat and Bata as a company doctor. She also ran various private clinics in the past.
Throughout her long carrier, Zainab has dedicated a lot of resources towards empowering Muslim communities including in her home districts of Teso Region.
In 1992, she mobilised 17million shillings from Rabitwa to sponsor Muslim students doing medical courses in various institutions. She says that some of these are now established medical personnel serving the public. Doctor Zainab was also involved in another project with Rabitwa. “They supported Al Hiddaya Women’s Association and also paid Sheikhs to teach Islam to Muslim Women” she said
The doctor has also secured several scholarships from Danida and Belgium program for Muslim students especially girls to study medical courses in institutions of higher learning. She is excellent in career path guidance and she has helped many young people to get correct career paths.
Many Muslim girls and boys have also secured admissions in government medical schools as a result of her personal intervention.
“I love Islam and I feel energised when I do something for my religion however small it may be” said the girl from Ngora.
Doctor Zainab is also proud to be associated with the Islamic Medical Association of Uganda (IMAU) which she says is doing a commendable job in improving the livelihoods of Muslim communities in Uganda and globally. She is the vice chairperson if IMAU and she is full of praises for Prof. Magid Kagimu for his able leadership of the organisation.
She revealed that IMAU is the World Centre for Islamic Approach to HIV control.
Zainab has played a key role in uplifting the capacity of the Islamic Health Center in Iganga and Lyantonde Muslim Health Center. “Both centres are doing very well especially the one in Iganga which I personally struggled a lot to secure its funding from USAID through IRCU” said the rather relieved doctor.
Doctor Zainab is currently focusing on Soroti Islamic Health Center which she wants to transform into a modern health facility.
She is partnering with Sheikh Mwase of Good Hope Education Foundation-Kamuli to construct mosques in Teso region, where she has already spearheaded the construction of one mosque. She helped to expand a small community Mosque in Naalya which was too small to accommodate the Ummah in the area. She also provides material and financial support to Muslims coverts and other Muslims in need.
“I thank Allah that I try to have something small to offer to those in need and I will do it as long as Allah enables me” assured the doctor. Other that the Islamic work Zainab says she loves her medical profession work. “My principle is to work from my heart and whatever I do, I do it as if I will not live to do it again” stresses the doctor who says that it is a principle she learnt from the Islamic teachings.
“I am however disappointed with Muslims who are enemies of Islam by their actions. For the non Muslims who are our enemies, they can be forgiven as they are ignorant. We just need to encourage them to learn about Islam” concluded the Doctor. Doctor Zainab has a special place in her office (Ministry of Health Headquarters) for her prayers and no one dares to step there with shoes on.
SOURCE:THE TORCH NEWSPAPER
Uganda Muslim Brothers and Sisters(UMBS) Marhaban مرحبا 