The East African Community (EAC) has strengthened regional health security with the official launch and operationalisation of the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) as the EAC Regional Centre of Excellence in Virology in Entebbe.
The Centre will serve as a regional hub for advanced virology research, specialised laboratory training, disease surveillance, diagnostics and knowledge sharing to enhance the capacity of EAC Partner States to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.
It is expected to play a key role in strengthening preparedness for public health threats, including Ebola, Marburg and other emerging and re-emerging viral diseases.
The Centre was officially launched by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, representing President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. She described the launch as a significant step towards strengthening regional health security and scientific self-reliance.
“A nation that studies its own pathogens is a self-reliant nation. We commit to increasing funding for research,” Nabbanja said.
EAC Chairperson of the Council of Ministers Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga said the Centre comes at a critical time as infectious diseases continue to pose significant challenges across the region.
She noted that the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that disease outbreaks do not respect national borders, underscoring the need for stronger regional collaboration.
EAC Deputy Secretary General Ariik Aguer Malueth said the Regional Centres of Excellence are intended to provide advanced expertise, research, training and technical support in strategic areas of regional importance.
He said the UVRI facility is one of seven Regional Medical Diagnostic Centres of Excellence established under the EAC Health Investment Priority Framework 2018–2028.
“Uganda’s leadership in virology reflects UVRI’s internationally recognised expertise and decades of contribution to virus research, disease surveillance and outbreak response,” Malueth said.
The launch coincided with UVRI’s 90th anniversary celebrations.
UVRI Director Prof. Pontiano Kaleebu reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to supporting advanced research, specialised training, laboratory diagnostics and disease surveillance across the East African region.
He said the institute already plays a vital role in confirming laboratory samples from Partner States and supporting rapid outbreak response.
The Centre also builds on existing regional initiatives, including the EAC Regional Network of Reference Laboratories and the EAC Mobile Laboratory Network established in 2017, which reduced laboratory test turnaround times from 72 hours to just eight hours.
Officials said the Centre will further advance the EAC One Health approach by strengthening collaboration across the human, animal and environmental health sectors.
The operationalisation of the Centre was supported by the Government of Germany through KfW, with technical assistance from the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM).
KfW Country Director Jan Alber reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to strengthening regional health security, noting that six container-based laboratories are also being procured to support disease diagnostics and antimicrobial resistance surveillance.
The EAC Secretariat commended the partnership, saying it will strengthen laboratory systems, pandemic preparedness and the region’s capacity to respond to emerging infectious diseases.
