President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has pledged Government’s support to Uganda’s Joint Clinical Research Center (JCRC) to construct a modern Research Center that is estimated to costs 33 million dollars.
The pledge was revealed during a meeting the President held with the executive members of JCRC together with a delegation of science scholars from the Western University of Canada at State House Entebbe.
The JCRC team was led by Dr. Cissy Kityo while the Scientists from Western University of Canada were led by Dr. Opio Oloya and John Yoo, the Dean, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry.
JCRC entered a partnership with the Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry based in Ontario, Canada to help expand research and training services in Uganda. Museveni applauded the partnership and collaboration promising them full support as government to do more scientific research on a number of diseases, especially HIV.
“I will support you locally here. We are also working with other groups. The plan to build a research center, which will costs US$ 33m is welcome and we shall support it,” Museveni said.
For her part, Kityo said that the partnership will provide Ugandan students, faculty, clinicians and researchers opportunities to develop their skills and enhance their training through reciprocal placements hosted at Western University and its affiliated partners in Southwestern Ontario.
The key objective of this partnership according to Kityo is to establish a long-term research collaboration in fields which are compatible with the orientation of each institution, and which are relevant to the industrial, scientific, social and cultural interests and needs of Uganda and Canada, and helping to address some of the most challenging issues in global health.
JCRC will serve as a national coordinating center for the conduct and operation of facilitating international clinical, practicum, and research placements for students registered at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry and Western University more broadly, for experiential learning, clinical and research placements.
Students undertake various activities in the areas of basic medical sciences, clinical sciences, global and public health, medicine and dentistry,” Kityo further elaborated.
For Dr. Opio Oloya who led the delegation of the scientists from Western University of Canada, the quality of research and teaching in Uganda will be strengthened by the establishment of international cooperation links leading to their mutual enrichment in scientific, academic, and cultural areas.
“Western University is one of the biggest Universities in Canada and is known as a research university,” Oloya said.
“With this collaboration, Uganda will become the center and destination of excellency on the African continent and beyond. The commitment to education in Uganda is commendable. Uganda is a role model to many of us.”
Dr Oloya profusely thanked those participating in the collaboration.