Southern Africa: Uganda to Begin Manufacturing Monkey Pox Vaccines, Minister Musenero Reveals

1 October 2024
Nile Post (Kampala)
By Muhamadi Matovu

The Ugandan government is set to embark on a new initiative to manufacture vaccines for Monkey Pox, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Monica Musenero, has announced.

She announced this during a session with the Parliamentary Presidential Affairs Committee.

While providing an update on various projects within her ministry, Dr. Musenero stated that teams from both Africa and abroad are collaborating to develop diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments for Monkey Pox, which has been designated a public health concern.

"The teams are coming from Africa and from outside; we are going to work on a strategy to ensure we create diagnostics, vaccines, and drugs against Monkey Pox," said Musenero, emphasising the urgency of addressing the disease.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), several vaccines are currently available for Monkey Pox, including the MVA-BN, LC16, and ACAM2000 vaccines.

However, the Ugandan initiative aims to bolster local manufacturing capabilities in response to the growing health threat.

Dr. Musenero also highlighted the success of Uganda's previous vaccine initiatives, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite initial criticisms regarding the cost of manufacturing Covid-19 vaccines domestically, the ministry raised Shs 140 billion through research projects, including the sale of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) kits, with the WHO as a client.

"During Covid-19, we started conducting research that many considered a waste of money. However, we have been able to generate Shs 140 billion from external orders. This demonstrates that science can reposition our country rapidly," she explained.

Additionally, Stephen Kangwgye,MP Bukanga County raised a provocative question regarding the possibility of breeding local rats for scientific research instead of importing mice from Germany.

He suggested that with proper training and programming, local rats could be adapted for research purposes, potentially reducing costs.

Kangwgye also questioned the impact of the recently launched satellite project, asking for clarity on its contributions and benefits to the country.

"What is she doing up there in the sky so that we are able to appreciate?" he inquired, seeking tangible results from the satellite initiative.

Read the original article on Nile Post.

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