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The Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) has been boosted with a new Research Laboratory worth 500,000 US dollars to deal with emerging viral diseases transmitted from animal virus to human beings (Zoonotic diseases).
The Executive Director Uganda Virus Research Institute, Prof. Ponsiano Kalebu, said that because of emerging animal diseases spread to humans, the Virus Institute entered into collaboration with the Division of Intramural Research- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases that in turn erected a Laboratory of Virology to conduct clinical trials and tests on animal diseases that affect human health.
Prof. Ponsiano Kalebu, the Executive Director, Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), said the new Lab has come at a critical time when the country is threatened with a number of animal diseases that affect humans including Ebola outbreak hence it would go a long way in addressing research gaps on animal diseases which affect human health.
Dr. Barron Karyl, the Deputy Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the new Lab facility will provide a training ground for Ugandan researchers and scientists to be able to manage infectious diseases that are transmitted from animal viruses to human beings.
Dr. Charles Olaro, the Director Clinical services at the Ministry of Health, noted that the Lab facility has come timely when the country is on tension following the outbreak of Ebola disease and urged researchers and scientists to utilize it to develop a vaccine that can effectively contain the spread of Ebola.
Ambassador Natalie Brown, the USA mission to Uganda, revealed that the government of USA is committed to collaborating with the government of Uganda in building capacities of Ugandan researchers and scientists so as to fight infectious diseases and future disease outbreaks.
NB: Zoonotic disease is a disease or infection that is naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to humans or from humans to vertebrate animals. Reports indicate that in the Last five years Uganda has experienced a number of Zoonotic disease outbreak including Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Rift valley fever, anthrax and Ebola virus disease among others.
