Uganda to host major HIV centre

Kampala

Uganda has been chosen to host the East African Consortium for Clinical Research (EACCR) that will conduct trials for HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria.

According to Pontiano Kaleebu, the director of the Uganda Virus Research Centre, which will host EACCR, the centre will boast research in vaccine and drug development for the three deadly diseases-HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis.

“The aim of the consortium is to bring together different institutions that have different strengths in clinical trials for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. We hope that we can increase human capacity and infrastructure through collaboration and networking. It will also raise the quality of clinical research and practice in sub-Saharan Africa,” Dr Kaleebu said at the launch of the network on Thursday.

EACCR will bring together 10 countries of Ethiopia, Germany, Kenya, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Sudan, Tanzania, United Kingdom and Uganda-with an initial funding of 3.5 million pounds. “Through this network, we hope to conduct clinical trials for better vaccines and drugs. We want newer drugs because some of these drugs like the one for malaria have become resistant to current drugs,” Dr Kaleebu explained.

A potentially promising vaccine for HIV/Aids remains elusive even after several trials that have been conducted worldwide. The most recent vaccine trials were conducted in Thailand which showed a 30 percent efficacy.

Since the onset of the epidemic, more than 190 HIV vaccine trials have been conducted globally, at least 20 of them in Africa alone. Researchers now hope these trials were good enough and can be replicated in Africa, the epicenter of the HIV/Aids epidemic. “There’s been trials conducted but now we are thinking when you create partnerships, you can do better trials,” Dr Kaleebu said. The Virus Research Institute has been conducting several trials especially in HIV/Aids. Dr Kaleebu said more vaccine and drug trials can be conducted across the continent.