Infectious Disease Institute (IDI) executive director, Dr Andrew Kambugu has said a lot of research and innovations in HIV/AIDS have been carried out at the institute since its inception.

Addressing journalists at IDI at Makerere University College of Science on Monday, Kambugu said, “the institute is providing HIV care and treatment to 270,000 people living with HIV and AIDs in 14 districts including Kampala and West Nile region. This is approximately 20% of people living with HIV and AIDS in Uganda."

He added that as part of IDI interventions, the country has several infections reducing.

Kambugu said as they celebrate 20 years of existence the institute has also expanded to handle other infectious diseases.

“Away from managing HIV and AIDS, IDI has expanded to manage other emerging diseases, like the most recent COVID-19 and Ebola incidents in which we helped the Ministry of Health manage the people infected by putting them under care and treatment,” Kambugu said.

According to Kambugu, during the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequently Ebola, IDI was responsible for screening at the border points to ensure there was case management and IDI made it possible for those who had COVID-19 to be handled separately.

“We have expanded to TB. Through the USAID programme, we now support TB and leprosy,” he added.

IDI chairperson board of directors,  Rev. Prof. Dr. Samuel Luboga said for the last 20 years they have come up with innovations which need to be told to the public.

20 years of impacting real lives through infectious diseases prevention and control under the theme: Celebrating 20 Years of Inspired Contributions through the IDI Research Programme.

As part of its anniversary, IDI is organising the Third Annual Science Fair to highlight the institute’s contributions to Uganda health care science.