Local governments to get innovation and incubation centres

Apr 23, 2018

Incubation centres stimulate innovations and provide space for ideas to flourish.

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation is to construct incubation centres and science industrial parks to support research and innovations in all districts and municipalities across the country.

Incubation centres stimulate innovations and provide space for ideas to flourish.

Emmanuel Mugunga, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation said at the moment there is one incubation centre coming up at Namanve under the Uganda National Council for science and Technology.

"There is a plan to establish such centres in districts and municipalities. We move in phases, we want to target the municipalities first then districts,'' he said

Speaking during a National stakeholder workshop on social innovation in health in Uganda at Kabira Country club, Dr. Roy William Mayega, the deputy chief of party in the Resilience African Network at Makerere University emphasised that the country needs to invest more in innovations which can help improve lives of Ugandans.

"We have many innovations as a university, but to encourage more young people to do more, we need to create more innovations hubs, like the one we have at Makerere where people come with their ideas, we critic them and get improved. There is need to have innovation centres in all universities and colleges that are well equipped to meet the increasing demands of the population," Mayega said.

Dr. Birungi Mutahunga the innovator of Mothers' Waiting Home (MWH) said this is a simple social innovation, sustainable, and cost effective solution at Bwindi Hospital established to improve access to safe delivery, encourage healthy behaviour and saving for healthcare. Facility based deliveries in the area have increased to 90% above the national average of 73%.

Dr. Phyllis Awor, the director Social Innovation in health Initiative said social innovations engage and mobilise communities to come up with new solutions and approaches to solve  challenges.

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