The East African Community (EAC) has officially designated the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) as the EAC Regional Centre of Excellence in Virology. Launched in Entebbe on Wednesday, July 22, the Centre will serve as a regional hub for advanced virology research, disease surveillance, diagnostics, knowledge sharing, and specialised laboratory training.
The designation was officiated by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, representing President Yoweri Museveni, during celebrations marking the 90th anniversary of UVRI. The institute, established in 1936, has a history of contributing to responses for major outbreaks, including COVID-19 and Ebola, and has earned international recognition as one of Africa’s leading virology institutions.
Regional Health Security and Strategic Framework
The UVRI facility is one of seven specialised regional medical diagnostic centres of excellence established under the EAC Health Investment Priority Framework (2018-2028), a plan endorsed by the 19th Summit of EAC Heads of State. According to Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, these centres are designed to ensure that scientific expertise and capabilities developed in one Partner State become shared resources for all East Africans.
The launch comes amid ongoing public health threats, including an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, an EAC member. EAC Chairperson of the Council of Ministers Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga stated that the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that disease outbreaks do not respect national borders, underscoring the necessity for stronger regional collaboration.
Operational Goals and Capabilities
As a regional hub, UVRI is expected to play a key role in genomic surveillance and research on emerging viruses. UVRI Director Prof. Pontiano Kaleebu stated that the Centre will improve the ability of Partner States to detect, confirm, and respond to viral diseases through coordinated scientific expertise and stronger laboratory systems. He noted that the institute already supports the confirmation of laboratory samples from Partner States and assists in rapid outbreak response.
The Centre will further advance the EAC “One Health” approach, which promotes collaboration across the environmental, animal, and human health sectors. It also builds upon existing initiatives, such as the EAC Mobile Laboratory Network and the EAC Regional Network of Reference Laboratories established in 2017, which reduced laboratory test turnaround times from 72 hours to eight hours.
International Support and Infrastructure
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). Jan Alber, the KfW Country Director, announced that six container-based laboratories are being procured to support antimicrobial resistance surveillance and disease diagnostics.
Additionally, the 90th anniversary celebrations included the handover of a new WHO-accredited polio sequencing laboratory to strengthen diagnostic capacity. The World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted a collaboration with UVRI spanning more than 70 years, focusing on immunization initiatives, laboratory strengthening, and disease control.
Summary of UVRI Regional Role
| Core Function | Regional Impact |
|---|---|
| Advanced Research | Focus on emerging and re-emerging viral diseases like Marburg and Ebola |
| Laboratory Training | Providing specialised technical support and expertise to EAC Partner States |
| Surveillance | Enhancing genomic surveillance and early detection of pathogens |
| Knowledge Sharing | Acting as a reference institution for the eight-member EAC |
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