By KT Reporter
Makerere University Lung Institute (MLI) is set to construct a six-level facility that will house a specialized clinic and a state-of-the-art research and training center on 0.8-acre land allocated by Mulago National Referral Hospital.
The first phase of the project, expected to significantly boost respiratory health research in East Africa, will be constructed using 3.6 billion shillings in funding. Speaking at the land handover event, Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe commended Mulago Hospital for the gesture, describing it as a reinforcement of the long-standing partnership between the two institutions.
Nawangwe emphasized the institute’s critical role in Uganda’s health sector, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. “MLI is extremely important. I have witnessed many people lose their lives to respiratory illnesses. Since MLI has demonstrated that it can address these challenges, we must support it,” he said, adding that with more space, the institute will attract more international patients as it becomes the largest lung health facility in the region.
The upcoming facility will house a Pulmonary Care Centre, an Intensive Care Unit, and spaces designed to enhance human resource development and specialized lung health services. MLI Director Prof. Bruce Kirenga highlighted the long-standing collaboration between Mulago Hospital and the institute.
He noted that the hospital has already allocated buildings for renovation and use, including a clinical trials ward and a vaccine house, which have supported the institute’s growing research capacity. Despite limited space, MLI operates the country’s second-largest cold room, a minus-80°C, 2,300cc facility capable of storing critical clinical and research materials.
Kirenga added that the facility’s location within the national referral hospital provides additional opportunities for collaboration on numerous ongoing projects. During the COVID-19 pandemic, MLI spearheaded several research initiatives, including studies on convalescent plasma therapy, pneumonia surveillance, TB, Ebola, and clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of locally made herbal medicines for treating COVID-19 and other acute respiratory illnesses.
Dr. Rosemary Byanyima, Executive Director of Mulago National Referral Hospital, commended the Lung Institute for its investments in clinical research and trials, emphasizing that such initiatives are transforming respiratory healthcare in Uganda. Meanwhile, Makerere University Lung Institute will mark its 10th anniversary later this month, celebrating a decade of contributions to lung health research and clinical care in the region.
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