President Museveni has called on Ugandan scientists to intensify research into the medicinal potential of local herbs and natural plants, directing experts to collaborate with pharmaceutical companies to validate and commercialise herbal remedies for both local and international markets.
In a speech delivered by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa at the 20th anniversary ceremony of Quality Chemical Industries Limited (QCIL) in Kampala on Wednesday, the President said Uganda’s rich biodiversity presents vast opportunities for innovation in natural medicine.
The event also marked the groundbreaking for a new modern factory at Luzira Industrial Park. The facility will expand QCIL’s annual production capacity from 1.4 billion to 2.4 billion tablets and introduce new production lines for tuberculosis treatments, currently not manufactured anywhere on the continent.
‘I want to see companies like QCIL partner with Ugandan researchers, universities, and traditional practitioners to develop and commercialise scientifically validated herbal medicine,’ Mr Museveni said.
‘This will not only diversify our pharmaceutical base but also strengthen Uganda’s position as a global leader in natural medicine innovation.’
He noted that QCIL stands as a premier model for import substitution and industrialisation, calling on other sectors to emulate its example through agro-processing, textiles, and machinery production to build a resilient economy.
The President emphasised that QCIL’s contribution to reducing the disease burden in Uganda is not merely a business success but a public health victory.
‘Our people can now live longer, healthier, and more productive lives,’ he said.
HIV medicine
Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Health minister, commended QCIL for its continued investment in local pharmaceutical manufacturing.
She described the company’s new factory and the launch of paediatric HIV medicines as milestones in advancing Africa’s self-reliance in healthcare. ‘As the Ministry of Health, we celebrate this milestone with QCIL,’ Minister Aceng said.
‘The expansion of QCIL to manufacture more pharmaceutical products moves us towards self-reliance, timely availability, and quality of products, and most importantly, Africa’s independence.’
QCIL’s new paediatric HIV formulation, a combination of Abacavir, Dolutegravir, and Lamivudine, ensures children can take their medication safely and consistently.
Minister Aceng reflected on lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic, which, she said, underscored the need for African nations to develop homegrown solutions.
‘During the Covid-19 pandemic, we experienced profound discrimination that sent a clear message: do it yourself. African solutions for African problems,’ she emphasised.
She also revealed that Uganda is finalising the National Drug and Health Products Authority Bill to ensure locally manufactured products meet international standards. This, the Health Minister noted, represents a higher level of regulation.
Highlighting the significance of the new paediatric ARVs, Minister Aceng observed that children have often been overlooked in HIV care.
According to the 2024 UNAIDS statistics, about 72,000 Ugandan children below 15 years are living with HIV, but only half of them are virally suppressed.
Minister Aceng said the launch of paediatric ARVs marks a major step toward improving these outcomes.
Founded in 2005, QCIL is sub-Saharan Africa’s leading producer of WHO-prequalified HIV/Aids and malaria treatments, supplying 31 African countries.