Museveni commissions new JCRC headquarters

By Francis Kagolo 

President Yoweri Museveni has commissioned new headquarters for the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC), expected to enhance research and treatment of HIV/AIDS in Uganda.

The sh12b complex, which sits on a 20-acre piece of land, stands atop Lubowa Hill in Wakiso, along Entebbe Road.

It consists of state-of-the-art research and diagnostics laboratories, training facilities, spacious pediatrics and adult outpatients’ clinics, a 200-capacity ward and a mortuary.

President Yoweri Museveni commissining the New JCRC Village at Lubowa

President Museveni commended the JCRC team for hard work, saying they had developed his vision of enhancing scientific research for better care and treatment of HIV/AIDS in the country and globally.

He also applauded them for not being corrupt. “I have long ears and I always monitor (institutions). Some of the groups even give wrong HIV blood test results upon getting bribes from those who want marriages,” Museveni observed.

He warned that the practice was “criminal, and somebody should be hanged for it.”
The President pledged to co-fund the construction of an ultramodern health facility at JCRC to handle complex issues including orthopedics, kidney transplants and heart treatment.

The African Development Bank and Tokushukai, a Japanese company, have committed 70% funding towards the project which is estimated to cost over $120m (about sh306b).

Museveni said the facility, if completed, will eliminate “medical tourism” and save over $150m (about sh382b) that is being spent annually on Ugandans seeking treatment abroad especially in India and South Africa.

Prof. Peter Mugyenyi, the JCRC director, said the Centre was providing ARVs to over 72,000 patients.
He also revealed that the new headquarters would be equipped with two P3 laboratories to handle research and diagnosis of highly infectious diseases like Ebola and influenza.

JCRC was established in 1990 to provide a scientific approach to the national HIV/AIDS challenge.
It has the biggest reference laboratory in Uganda that is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to offer high quality diagnostic and monitoring tests that support the national Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) programme.