Dr. Cedric Akwesigye, the Managing Director and proprietor of Microhaem Scientifics (MHS) upon the successful commissioning of the first-ever diagnostic test kit manufacturing facility by HE President Yoweri Museveni yesterday.
Microhaem Scientifics, a fully Ugandan manufacturing plant will be serving the whole of Great Lakes Region.
With this facility in place, Uganda will save up to USD 100 million annually that we have been spending on importing test kits from other countries. I’m happy that these will now be made here by our own scientists.
MHS will produce a range of both Molecular and Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) kits, HIV Viral load test kits, HIV Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) test kits, HIV Drug Monitoring kits, Hepatitis B testing Kits etc.
On top of saving us millions of dollars, I have learnt that the facility will also create nearly 7,000 direct and indirect jobs including the transfer of skills and competencies in quality assurance, bioprocessing, research and development, and innovation.
It will also save us the troubles the whole of Africa witnessed during Covid-19 pandemic when the western countries and other groups hoarded their own vaccines, denying millions of doses to vulnerable countries across Africa.
Once again thanks to Dr. Akwesigye for taking the wise guidance of H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the President and for the spirit of freedom fighting.
