Scientists at Gulu University have renewed calls to the government to upgrade the Bioscience Multifunctional Laboratory at the institution to aid advanced scientific research.
The Government through the African development bank set up a state-of-the-art multifunctional laboratory at the university in 2004 at the tune of US$ 4.5 million. The Laboratory currently at Biosafety level-2 (BSL-2) comprises seven specialized Labs designed for detection and containment of infectious diseases.
Associate Prof Dr. Richard Echodu, the Director Multifunctional Laboratory at the university, says the Laboratory is currently conducting research on infectious diseases, especially on Covid-19 but isn’t well designed for advanced scientific research.
Dr. Echodu says there is a need to upgrade the Laboratory from the current Biosafety level-2 (BSL-2) to Biosafety level-3 (BSL-3) if it’s to handle advanced research such as culturing of the COVID-19 viral specimen. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, BSL-3 laboratories are used to study infectious agents or toxins that may be transmitted through the air and cause potentially lethal infections.
BSL-3 laboratories are designed to be easily decontaminated and use controlled, or “directional,” airflow to ensure that air flows from non-laboratory areas (such as the hallway) into laboratory areas. Dr. Echodu however says the Bioscience Laboratory isn’t equipped with specialized equipment such as a one-way airflow, and air conditioning systems designed to ensure no airborne particles can exit the contained space.
“We have to change all the doors. The airflow system here has to be one way, so everything has to be monitored. Currently, we are at Biosafety level-2, which means we cannot culture the covid-19 virus, it means we cannot handle it live,” says Dr. Echodu.
Dr. Echodu notes the University’s laboratory equipped with some of the latest scientific machines is one of the few recognized labs in the country, East Africa, and is internationally accredited for COVID-19 testing.
He however says despite their efforts to lobby for the upgrade of the Laboratory from the government through the Parliament, no success has yet been registered.
Gulu University Vice-Chancellor Prof. George Openjuru Ladaah says they had earlier requested the government in 2020 to inject 710,000 US Dollars in the upgrade of the Laboratory.
According to Prof. Openjuru, although the Parliament passed a motion in April that year urging the government to use some funds contained in the National Response fund for covid-19 to build the capacity of Bioscience Research Laboratories in the country, nothing has materialized.
He says there is a need to consider the upgrade of the University Laboratory at the moment given the competence and equipment they have at hand.
On Monday, a select committee of Parliament on Science, Technology, and Innovation, visited the University to investigate the alleged misappropriation of funds meant for the research and development of the Covid-19 vaccine.
The Committee members comprising the Nwoya County legislator Tony Awany, Xavier Kyooma, the Committee Chairperson also Ibanda North legislator and Paul Omara, the Otuke County legislator made a tour of the University Multifunctional laboratory.
While chairing a meeting with the University scientists and management, Awany who doubles as the Committee Vice Chairperson noted that there is a need to upgrade the University Laboratory. He says the committee will make a report on the floor of parliament on the demands of the University management.
The University Bioscience Laboratory since its accreditation in February last year to test Covid-19 samples has screened a total of 12,297 samples out of which 1,821 samples tested positive for COVID-19.
Besides covid-19 testing, the Laboratory also has a capacity for Diagnosis and Epidemical Surveillance of Infectious diseases such as Ebola and Yellow fever. Scientists at the Laboratory are also currently conducting studies on mycotoxin and food safety in Northern Uganda and Malaria and Mosquito insecticide resistance.
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