Dr. Bernard Omech is a physician, public health leader, and implementation researcher with over 24 years of experience advancing healthcare in Uganda and Botswana. He is the Acting Director of Graduate Training and Research at Lira University and serves as Centre Coordinator for the university’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SET-SRHR) Center, where he drives strategic initiatives to strengthen graduate education and health systems research.

A graduate of Makerere University (MBChB, M.Med Internal Medicine) and the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam (MSc Public and International Health Development), Dr. Omech has held senior academic and clinical leadership roles, including faculty appointments at Kampala International University and the University of Botswana.

His leadership has shaped large-scale, multi-sectoral projects that expand healthcare access and equity. He co-directed the CHASE Poverty and Hunger Project, a  EU-funded initiative integrating adolescent-friendly family planning services across Northern Uganda. As Principal Investigator of the CAFFP-PAC Project, he leads efforts to transform adolescent sexual and reproductive health through citizen science and gender-responsive approaches. He also co-leads the M-CARE Project, pioneering integrated care models for patients with multiple chronic conditions in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Through these roles, Dr. Omech has positioned Lira University as a hub for impactful research and innovation, advancing universal health coverage and strengthening primary healthcare systems across the region.