Premier Nabanjja Commissions UVRI As EAC Regional Centre of Excellence in Virology, Urges Scientists to Extend Research Outside Laboratories 

By Sadique Bamwita 

Entebbe 

The premier of Uganda, Rt.Hon. Robinah Nabanjja, has commissioned the Uganda Virus Research Institute ( UVRI) as East Africa Community (EAC) Regional Centre of Excellence in Virology, and urged scientists to extend their research outside the laboratories, so as to benefit the intended beneficiaries.

Premier Nabanjja who represented president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni during the launch, believes that the newly commissioned East Africa Community Regional Center of Excellence in Virology, places UVRI as a hub for advanced virological research, training and outbreak response for member states in the East African region.

Premier Nabanjja said it’s worthy for UVRI to celebrate 90 years of scientific discoveries and global impact because the research agency has saved many lives in Uganda and beyond since it’s establishment in 1936.

” UVRI has put Uganda at the global scene over years and has provided a good platform for Ugandan scientists in the fight against disease outbreaks. Government appreciates the great work done by African scientists in conducting diagnosis and surveillance among other things, ” premier Nabanjja stated.

Prime Nabanjja reaffirmed government commitment to continuing working with development partners to eradicate a number of diseases including polio in East African region. She called upon all stakeholders to rise to to the occasion in choosing Uganda as the best investment destination.  She further reaffirmed government commitment to increasing funding for research and innovation as along as resources are available.

The First Deputy prime minister and Minister for East African Affairs, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, commended UVRI for the great work in dealing with outbreaks like Ebola, Mpox and marbug among other diseases. The Minister for Health , Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, believes that UVRI now being the EAC Regional Center of Excellence in Virology, will greatly help in containing viral pathogens.

The US Ambassador to Uganda, Mika Cleverley, said 90years is not merely an anniversary but a testament to science in service of humanity.  He noted that the story of UVRI is, in many ways, the story of American-Ugandan partnership itself.

“For nearly a century, American institutions have partnered with UVRI to advance science and public health. By the 1990s, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. National Institutes of Health had deepened that relationship, advancing HIV research, supporting the first HIV vaccine evaluation trial in Africa, and generating the pilot data that helped launch the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief-PEPFAR-worldwide, ” Ambassador Mika explained.

‘During the current Ebola response, the Arua lab has tested more than 200 specimens across three sub-regions, putting diagnostics where they were needed most. Faster diagnostics. Faster response. Better protection for communities. This is what effective partnership looks like.Today, I am pleased to mark this anniversary with concrete demonstrations of continued U.S. commitment to UVRI and to Uganda’s health security.’

Ambassador Mika Cleverly announced his government has awarded UVRI  $245,000 through the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation to complete the UVRI Museum.” Ninety years of discoveries-from yellow fever to HIV to Ebola-deserve to be preserved and shared with future generations. This museum will not only honor the past but inspire the next generation of Ugandan scientists who will carry this mission forward, ” Ambassador Mika Cleverly said.

Ambassador Mika Cleverly is optimistic that the East African Community Centre of Excellence that was launched reflects exactly what effective U.S. foreign assistance aims to achieve: capable, self-reliant institutions that protect their own people and strengthen regional stability. He added that UVRI is not just a Ugandan institution but a regional asset and a global partner in the fight against infectious diseases.

In his conclusion, Ambassador Mika Cleverly, revealed that Ninety years ago, American and Ugandan visionaries came together to establish an institution dedicated to understanding and combating infectious diseases and today that institution stands as one of Africa’s premier research centres and a model of international scientific collaboration.