STATE HOUSE | MUSEVENI | SINOVAC TEAM 

KAMPALA - President Yoweri Museveni has met with the Chinese Sinovac team at State House, Entebbe, with the biotech company pledging to construct a vaccine and biotech centre in Uganda. 

“I received a team from the international vaccine/biotech company Sinovac through their Ugandan representative Mr Philip Ruan. The company plans to work with the Government to establish a vaccine and biotech centre in Uganda,” Museveni on Monday. 

“The vaccine and biotech centre will be for use by Uganda and East Africa at large. With this centre, we shall achieve vaccine security and independence for both Uganda and the region. I support this idea and welcome them,” he added. 

In June 2021, the World Health Organisation (WHO) approved Sinovac-CoronaVac products, and in the same month, China donated to Uganda 300,000 doses of Sinovac vaccine. 

The donation came when Ugandan scientists were also working on developing a locally-made COVID-19 vaccine. 

“We are developing our vaccine, which will handle all new strains,” Museveni said in March 2021, adding that trials will be conducted on mice. 

At the time, the country was operating under a partial lockdown imposed by Government to curb the spread of COVID-19. 

However, since the economy was fully re-opened in January this year, the country has registered a decline in infections, with the Ministry of Health registering as low as one case every day. 

At the time of re-opening the economy, Museeveni urged 22m Ugandans that are 18 years and above to embrace vaccination as a protective measure against the fatal effects of COVID-19. 

“You as a person should be answerable for your life and health. Scientists have now recommended booster does. Come out and get vaccinated,” he said.