President Yoweri Museveni has said Uganda intends to start manufacturing drugs and vaccines locally in a bid to reduce over dependency on external sources everytime there is vast need.
Museveni made the remarks on Friday while commissioning the new National Medical Stores (NMS) pharmaceutical warehouse and office Complex in Kajjansi.
He said the facility which is one of the biggest in Africa will go a long way in boosting local production of drugs and vaccines.
“Now that the facility is here with an improved procurement, warehousing, and delivery monitoring system in place, let us solve the last mile benefit for the needs of our people, the region and Africa,” Museveni said.
“This achievement places Africa a step further in the pursuit of meaningful contributions to the global pathogenic economy. We are determined to get out of dependency on the issue of drugs and vaccines, we, therefore, intend to make them here,” he added.
Among other things, the modern warehouse and cold chain storage facility is expected to provide 30,000 more storage space for essential medicines and health supplies.
According to Dr. Diana Atwine the Health Ministry Permanent Secretary, the facility will also house offices for staff, an Oxygen plant with capacity to produce 100 cylinders per day, a 300kw solar system that will provide over 50% of the warehouse power requirements and natural lighting.
“The warehouse will also have a Central vaccine workshop for repair of vaccine refrigerators from Health Facilities, a vehicle garage for routine service, basic repairs of NMS fleet,” Dr. Atwine said.
This has been achieved with 60% funding from Govt of Uganda and 40% from Global Fund according to Dr. Atwine.
