Kampala, 14th March 2014 -- The World Health Organization Representative for Uganda, Dr. Wondimagegnehu Alemu visited the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) in Entebbe and commended the staff on their excellent work. UVRI is a national centre of excellence for viral diagnostics, surveillance, and research.

Dr Alemu was received by The Director Dr Edward Katongole Mbidde and some senior staff. They gave him a brief history of the UVRI that was formed in 1939 as The East African Yellow Fever Centre. Today, UVRI constitutes 8 Divisions, that is, Arbovirology, emerging and re-emerging infections, Immunization, Vector Biology, Immunology, HIV Reference, Clinical, training, administration and finance divisions.

Recently, the Immunization, Vector Biology and Arbovirology laboratories were designated as Centers of Excellence by the WHO Regional Office for Africa. UVRI collaborates with various agencies including WHO, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Medical Research Council (MRC) and National Institutes of Health - USA to implement projects at the institute. The majority of staff at UVRI, are employed by The Government of Uganda.

The Head of the Immunization Laboratory Dr Josephine Bwogi, reported that with support from WHO, the Laboratory is now an Inter-Country Polio surveillance laboratory that serves 6 countries and is also a Regional Reference Laboratory for Measles for 8 countries. In addition, the immunization laboratory offers technical capacity building, training and research for other Vaccine preventable diseases.

WHO has provided technical support to immunization laboratory particularly in human resources development, laboratory quality control and accreditation, and vaccine potency testing. Indeed, several staff of the immunization laboratory are supported by the WHO. However, for sustainability these staff will soon be recruited by Government of Uganda. Commenting on the absorption of staff in government payroll, Dr Alemu said “I am pleased to note the institution’s plan to absorb the project staff currently paid by WHO to boost staff morale by ensuring stability and job security as well as for keeping the skills that UVRI has built overtime”.

The Head of Arbovirology Laboratory Dr. Julius Lutwama, informed Dr. Alemu that his laboratory supports the surveillance and confirmatory testing of emerging and re-emerging diseases and Arboviruses, and also serves as a National Influenza Center (NIC). The NIC shares weekly surveillance data with WHO.

WHO has closely collaborated with UVRI since inception and was even present during the years of political instability and turmoil when most international agencies withdrew from the country. The Director UVRI commended WHO on this and thanked WHO for this continued support and collaboration.

Dr Alemu also paid a courtesy call on CDC-Uganda, whose offices are within the UVRI premises. He was received by the CDC Country Director Dr. Tadesse Wuhib who highlighted the long standing relationship between WHO and CDC. Dr Wuhib described WHO & CDC’s collaboration as “working together as “hand in glove”. Quoting from the CDC-Atlanta Director, he said "CDC at country level is for supporting Ministry of Health, and CDC at global level is for supporting WHO".

The two representatives agreed to continue with and strengthen that bilateral collaboration especially in the areas of Laboratory support, HIV surveillance, Outbreak Response, Global Health Security/International Health Regulations, Routine Immunization and EPI surveillance. In a brief address to the CDC senior staff, Dr Alemu emphasized the need to further strengthen the already working relationship to ensure better results in areas of convergence and based on our comparative advantages.

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For more information please contact :

Benjamin Sensasi, Health Promotion Advisor,
WHO Country Office Tel 256-414-335500
Email: sensasib [at] ug.afro.who