Uganda Leads the Way in Responsible Life Sciences Use

Uganda has made significant strides in mitigating biorisks and governing dual-use research by becoming the first country in the WHO African Region to pilot the Global guidance framework for the responsible use of the life sciences. This pioneering effort, coordinated by the Uganda Office of the Prime Minister in partnership with the World Health Organization, highlights the country’s commitment to enhancing national and regional biosecurity.

Since October 2023, Uganda has been actively engaged in key actions to implement the framework. National stakeholder engagement workshops have played a crucial role in raising awareness and developing a draft roadmap for the framework’s implementation. A stakeholders’ workshop held in November 2023 brought together over 80 stakeholders from various sectors to collaborate on this important initiative.

Subsequent technical stakeholders’ workshops in March 2024 further reinforced awareness and strategic planning. Over 30 technical experts defined key stakeholder roles and refined the draft roadmap for the framework’s operationalization. A high-level stakeholders’ sensitization meeting in March 2024, attended by government officials, institutional heads, and WHO representatives, showcased Uganda’s dedication to advancing responsible life sciences use.

During the meeting, Dr. Monica Musenero, Uganda’s Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, emphasized the importance of robust biosafety, biosecurity, and dual-use research governance in achieving sustainable development and global health security. Dr. Daniel Kyabayinze, Director of Public Health at the Ministry of Health, highlighted the framework’s role in promoting ethical research practices, especially in the face of health challenges like COVID-19. Dr. Andrew Niwagaba Bakainaga from WHO underscored the framework’s transformative potential in enhancing research governance and ethics.

The meeting also featured presentations on Uganda’s biosafety, biosecurity, and dual-use research governance capacity, as well as the rationale for adopting the framework and an overview of the pilot project. Vibrant exchanges and discussions followed each presentation, leading to concrete ways forward.

As a result of the meeting, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation committed to leading the domestication and operationalization of the framework in Uganda. Key next steps include sensitizing relevant ministries, mobilizing domestic funding, harmonizing project implementation with UNCST, specifying roles and responsibilities in the roadmap, engaging key stakeholders, and documenting Uganda’s experience for dissemination.

Uganda’s proactive approach to responsible life sciences use and dual-use research governance sets a positive example for global health advancement. The country’s commitment to collaboration and innovation in this field is evident in its efforts to implement the framework effectively. Stay tuned for a detailed report on this groundbreaking workshop.