On May 6, 2022, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) hosted a team from the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MoSTI) in relation to “Structuring the R&D Ecosystem of the Pathogen Economy: Opportunities for National Socio-Economic Transformation” project. The main goal of the project, which is part of the Presidential Initiative on Epidemics (PRESIDE), is “to conduct data-driven analysis of Uganda’s Pathogen Economy toward addressing bottlenecks to industrialization”.
The team from Ministry of Science Technology and Innovations was accompanied by Prof. John Kaneene a world-renowned expert in Epidemiology and vaccine development. John is a professor in the department of large animal clinical sciences, Michigan State University, USA. https://cvm.msu.edu/directory/kaneene.
The team was received on behalf of the university by Prof. Robert Tamukong, Assoc. Prof. Joel Bazira and PHARMBIOTRAC staff led by Prof. Patrick Ogwang the PI who shared insights into the journey of PHARMBIOTRAC thus far.
The team picked interest in MUST following the recent growth in research and innovations by both students and staff of the University. Prof. John Kaneene and the MoSTI team purposely visited to evaluate MUST’s potential for R&D of drugs.
They inspected the Animal Research Facility, PHARMBIOTRAC Biotechnology Laboratory, Clinical Pharmacy Skills lab in the department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Analytical Laboratory and Clinical Research Laboratory at the Town Campus
Then in Kihumuro, the team inspected the PHARMBIOTRAC Medicinal Garden, PHARMBIOTRAC Production Laboratory, PHARMBIOTRAC ultramodern boardroom and PHARMBIOTRAC Museum of Biopharmaceutical incubation products.
Ms. Brenda Nakazibwe the Program Coordinator of the Presidential Science Initiative on Epidemics (PRESIDE) said that their objectives of the visit were mainly:
- To review the current R&D system and structures to identify strengths, gaps, threats, and opportunities relevant to industrialization of the Pathogen Economy value chain.
- To learn from R&D models that other countries are using for industrialization.
- To lay a foundation for the national R&D system that addresses identified gaps.
She added that the main activities that they will carry out would include.
- Review R&D systems and curate information relevant to defining a local system
- To use output from objective 2 to propose and draft an ideal formula, structure, system, and process to establish the Ugandan Pathogen Economy.
- To super impose the current Ugandan system onto the ideal to identify the overlaps and gaps.
- Site visits of Uganda’s Pathogen Economy infrastructure.
Ms. Nakazibwe extended regards from the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Hon. Monica Musenero and thanked the MUST team for receiving them on such short notice.
Prof. Keneene commended the MUST team for the great input on research and innovation as well as her unique community engagement programme that ensures research and innovation trickles down to the community. He concluded by pledging support to the R&D efforts of the University.
About PRESIDE
The geographical location of Uganda makes her vulnerable to pathogens, arising from both internal and external sources. In the past, Uganda has successfully responded to the concomitant epidemics using imported response tools. However, this approach was challenged by COVID-19 as most countries prioritized their domestic needs. Subsequently, Uganda was left bare-handed, with limited access to key response tools, and this led to adverse health, security, and economic threats. To curtail these threats, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, in March 2020, directed the Prime Minister to work with Dr. Monica Musenero Masanza, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Epidemics (SPADE) to set up a mechanism for fast-tracking Research and Development (R&D) toward local development of essential response tools. This directive resulted in the creation of the Presidential Scientific Initiative on Epidemics (PRESIDE), a multi-disciplinary scientific platform to coordinate and support strategic interventions against COVID-19 pandemic and other epidemics. The Pathogen Economy has enormous market value, estimated at USD 1.7 trillion dollars.