In bid to further conservation activity, Uganda wildlife authority has commissioned a Biosafety Level two wildlife veterinary diagnostic laboratory to help detect and countercheck wildlife zoonotic diseases.
In a blissful function held at Mweya Safari lodge in Kasese district, the United States Ambassador to Uganda, Ms. Brown Natalia said that as United States government is committed to partner with Uganda against pests and diseases that affect wildlife.
Hon. Tom Butime the minister of tourism, wildlife and antiquities said that Uganda has decided to resolved conservation challenges and protect important natural resources which he says has become the main foreign exchange earner for the country, as well as turning into a viable employment hub.
Scientists in Uganda have started making research on how they can develop a vaccine for wildlife animals so as to protect them from contracting the deadly covid-19 virus.
This has come at a time when Veterinary doctors in United States of America diagnosed Gorillas and Chimpanzees and their some which were found carrying Corona Virus.
Dr.Patrick Atimnedi the project manager veterinary services at Uganda Wildlife Authority said that Chimpanzees are 98% related to human being therefore the viruses that cause diseases to human beings can also cause similar diseases to such animals.
He said that the vaccines have already been developed and plans are underway to try them out and a team of scientists have already been selected to undertake the study that is slated to begin early this month and it will last for 3 weeks.
‘’We are going to take samples from 200 different animals from Entebbe Zoo and 57 from Queen Elizabeth and these samples will be test in the new laboratory at Mweya peninsula in Kasese district’’. Dr. Atimnedi.
He adds; ‘’we have finished the construction and equipping the laboratory with the sponsorship from Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and the government of Uganda’’.
He said that the laboratory is multi-purpose because it will hand both research on viruses and bacteria disease that affect animals and human beings as well, it will also be used by students for study purposes.
The laboratory which is the first of its kind in the Great Lakes region will also help other neighboring countries the region. It cost a total of US $ 6,110,000 of which construction alone cost US $ 2,532,000, buying and installment of equipment US$ 530,000 and the rest was spent on labor.
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