DAR ES SALAAM, July 20 (Xinhua) -- The East African Community (EAC) will officially launch the Uganda Virus Research Institute as the bloc's regional center of excellence in virology on Wednesday in Entebbe, Uganda, according to a statement issued on Monday by the EAC headquarters in Arusha.
The center will serve as a hub for advanced virology research, specialized laboratory training, disease surveillance, diagnostics and knowledge sharing across EAC member states, said the statement.
EAC Deputy Secretary General for Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth said the move reflects the bloc's commitment to enhancing regional health security through collaboration and investment in resilient laboratory systems.
"By investing in centers of excellence, we are building a stronger, more coordinated regional health system," he said.
The initiative is part of the EAC's regional laboratory network project and aligns with efforts to strengthen health systems under a One Health approach, said the statement.
The EAC is a regional intergovernmental organization, comprising Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, to promote economic, political, and social integration. ■