Quality Chemical Industries celebrates 45 STEM Interns from Uganda, Nambia
These interns, including eight from Zambia were awarded certificates upon completion of the training aimed at empowering the Next Generation of African Pharmaceutical Innovators in Africa.
Leaders at Qcil and some of the interns after the ceremony in Luzira. (Photos Simon Okitela)
By Simon Okitela
Journalists @New Vision
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45 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) interns have been celebrated by Quality Chemical Industries Limited (Qcil), at an event held at the Luzira headquartered chemical factory.
These interns, including eight from Zambia were awarded certificates upon completion of the training aimed at empowering the Next Generation of African Pharmaceutical Innovators in Africa.
The ceremony was presided over by Qcil Founder & Board Director George Baguma, who highlighted Qcil’s ongoing commitment to nurturing young talent across Africa by equipping them with hands-on experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing, preparing them to lead the future of healthcare innovation on the continent.
“We are proud to nurture the next generation of pharmaceutical talent. This program equips young people with not just technical skills but also the confidence and mindset to innovate, lead, and thrive,” Baguma noted.
The certificate handover celebrated the interns to help them to successfully transition from academia to industry and reinforced the importance of local and regional partnerships, such as that between Uganda and Namibia, in developing the pharmaceutical workforce.
“We are always honoured that universities across Uganda and Africa entrust us with the responsibility of sharpening their students' skills through our world-class pharmaceutical manufacturing practices. These students have demonstrated incredible promise to become the next generation of pharmaceutical professionals the continent can rely on to strengthen our health systems,” Harrison Kiggundu, the Head of Human Resources at Qcil added.
Each year, Qcil opens its doors to students from Ugandan universities, offering them a unique internship experience that blends classroom theory with hands-on training in a WHO-prequalified facility.
This year’s cohort includes students from both Uganda and Namibia, who have undergone intensive practical training in drug formulation, production quality standards, and pharmaceutical innovation.
About the internship program
Qcil’s internship program is part of its vision to become a center of excellence in the production of quality, affordable medicines in Africa.
The program targets students pursuing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), and is designed to provide hands-on exposure to world-class manufacturing practices, problem-solving, and quality assurance in pharmaceutical production.
This initiative reflects Qcil’s commitment to building a pipeline of competent African professionals who will contribute to healthcare security and self-sufficiency across the continent.
The internship program runs annually, with applications opening mid-year. Qcil is currently inviting STEM students from universities across Uganda, and increasingly from the wider African region, to apply and gain practical experience at one of the continent’s leading pharmaceutical companies.
Qcil Uganda is the largest producer of World Health Organization (WHO) pre-qualified HIV/AIDS and malaria treatments in the region