By Spy Uganda
Kampala: The Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Monica Musenero, has unveiled the government’s plan to begin manufacturing vaccines for Monkey pox virus commonly known as Mpox, which is currently affecting several African nations.
Dr. Musenero made this announcement on October 1, 2024, during a meeting with the Parliamentary Presidential Affairs Committee, where she provided updates on various projects undertaken by her ministry.
“We have teams from both Africa and abroad. We are formulating a strategy to develop diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments for Monkeypox, which has been declared a public health threat,” Musenero stated.
Mpox is an infectious disease that can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle ache, back pain and low energy. Most people fully recover, but some get very sick. It spreads from person to person mainly through close contact with someone who has mpox, including members of a household. Close contact includes sex, kissing, and talking or breathing close to one another, which can generate infectious respiratory particles.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccines against Monkeypox are already available, with the WHO recommending the use of MVA-BN, LC16, or the ACAM2000 vaccine when the others are unavailable.
WHO notes that these vaccines offer significant protection against infection and severe disease, with ongoing studies expected to provide more data on their effectiveness in different settings.
Dr. Musenero also addressed past criticism of Uganda’s efforts to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines, highlighting the financial success of the research. Despite initial scepticism, Uganda generated UGX 140 billion from Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing, with WHO among its key clients.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, many viewed our research efforts as a waste of taxpayers’ money. However, we have generated UGX 140 billion, much of it from international orders. Uganda has emerged as a leader in supplying research products across the continent,” Musenero explained.
According to Dr. Musenero, the Ministry is partnering with the private sector to phase out fuel-powered motorcycles in Kampala, replacing them with electric motorcycles as part of an effort to improve air quality in the city.
“We are supporting private sector players transitioning motorcycles from fuel to electric. Uganda is leading in this transition, aiming to remove fuel motorcycles from the streets. The air quality, particularly in Kampala, is poor, and we are working to address that,” she added.
However, the Ministry’s initiative on Banana Industrial Development faced scrutiny from lawmakers. Stephen Kangwagye, MP for Bukanga County, raised concerns about the discrepancy between the Minister’s report and the actual situation on the ground, particularly regarding the availability of products from the initiative.
“To be honest, when you visit the plant, the situation is different from the positive image you paint. What’s the real issue? The output seems extremely low, yet you claim to have paid UGX 12 billion in taxes for 2023/24. What products are you selling, and to whom? The program has potential, but the output needs improvement,” Kangwagye remarked.
Kangwagye also questioned the Minister on Uganda’s reliance on imported lab mice for scientific research, suggesting that local rats could be groomed for research purposes to save on costs.
“Scientifically, is there a significant difference between our local rats and the imported lab mice, or does it depend on how they are groomed? Couldn’t we raise our own here instead of spending large sums to import them from Germany? We have plenty of local rats, yet we import and they die quickly,” he inquired.
