Joint clinical centre resumes operations
Nov 04, 2007
THE Joint Clinical Research Centre has resumed operations after it was gutted by fire last week. The research centre pioneered the use of ARVs in Uganda in 1996 and has provided the drug to over 10,000 people living with HIV, making it the largest provider of ARVs in sub-Saharan Africa. <br>
By Alfred Wasike
THE Joint Clinical Research Centre has resumed operations after it was gutted by fire last week.
“All our laboratories are intact. Our Antiretrovirals (ARVs) and other necessities were not affected. It would have been a disaster if the fire had entered the building. There were about 25 critically ill patients in the hospital. It is only some property in the compound that was affected,†the institution’s director, Prof. Peter Mugyenyi, said yesterday.
“We suspect an electrical fault in one of the containers in which we keep detergents caused the fire.†He refuted media reports that the hospital’s key documents were burnt in the fire.
“JCRC is a training centre for many countries and international institutions. We back up our documents and keep them in electronic form. We also store them off campus and abroad. We do not take chances because we are operating a centre for international excellence in the struggle against HIV and AIDS.â€
He said the institution has the largest network for treatment of HIV in the country.
“We have 50 satellite centres equipped with advanced technology in all regions.â€
Mugyenyi hailed the Police fire brigade and Fire Masters for putting out the fire.
The research centre pioneered the use of ARVs in Uganda in 1996 and has provided the drug to over 10,000 people living with HIV, making it the largest provider of ARVs in sub-Saharan Africa.
THE Joint Clinical Research Centre has resumed operations after it was gutted by fire last week.
“All our laboratories are intact. Our Antiretrovirals (ARVs) and other necessities were not affected. It would have been a disaster if the fire had entered the building. There were about 25 critically ill patients in the hospital. It is only some property in the compound that was affected,†the institution’s director, Prof. Peter Mugyenyi, said yesterday.
“We suspect an electrical fault in one of the containers in which we keep detergents caused the fire.†He refuted media reports that the hospital’s key documents were burnt in the fire.
“JCRC is a training centre for many countries and international institutions. We back up our documents and keep them in electronic form. We also store them off campus and abroad. We do not take chances because we are operating a centre for international excellence in the struggle against HIV and AIDS.â€
He said the institution has the largest network for treatment of HIV in the country.
“We have 50 satellite centres equipped with advanced technology in all regions.â€
Mugyenyi hailed the Police fire brigade and Fire Masters for putting out the fire.
The research centre pioneered the use of ARVs in Uganda in 1996 and has provided the drug to over 10,000 people living with HIV, making it the largest provider of ARVs in sub-Saharan Africa.