The Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Mr Francis Mwebesa, has hailed the East African Medical Vitals factory, a plant that produces surgical gloves, for promoting import substitution and creating employment for Ugandans.
Speaking during a tour of the factory in Namanve industrial park at the weekend, Mr Mwebesa said the locally produced medical sundries are affordable and will increase foreign exchange earnings for the country.
Mr Mwebesa pledged the ministry’s support towards the continuity of the factory.
Mr David Bahati, the Minister of State for Industry, assured the factory management that EAMV is protected under the government policy that compels National Medical Stores to source locally manufactured medical consumables on condition they meet the required standards.
The ministers were accompanied by the Ag. Commissioner Industry and Technology, Denis Ainebyona, and the Executive Director Uganda Development Corporation, Dr. Patrick Birungi.
The factory managing director, Brian Kavuya, said the facility currently produces 6 million pairs of gloves per month and 72 million pairs per annum.
He noted that the consumption capacity of the country currently is approximately 70 million pairs per annum.
The team also visited the premises of Brentec Investments at Namanve Industrial and Business Park. Brentec intends to set up a factory for the manufacture of COVID vaccines and other human vaccines through a joint venture with Uganda Development Corporation and Swiss company. MGMC Pharma Group Ltd.
Brentec Uganda Limited is a Ugandan based livestock vaccines manufacturing company that pioneered the manufacture of veterinary vaccines in Uganda.
The company is now exploring the possibility of manufacturing human vaccines. The idea to manufacture human vaccines is an initiative of a group of scientists led by Professor Nantulya of Brentec.
Mr Mwebesa pledged to promote and facilitate the industrial and economic by Brentec through the Uganda Development Corporation.