Dei BioPharma Ltd. a Ugandan pharmaceutical company, is set to begin manufacturing essential medicines and vaccines in October 2024 according to reports. The facility, located in Matugga, Wakiso District, is owned by Ugandan scientist Dr. Matthias Magoola. The multi-billion shilling plant has been under construction for several years and is expected to be a major boost to Uganda’s pharmaceutical industry.
The Dei BioPharma facility will produce both human and animal vaccines, as well as a variety of other pharmaceutical products. The plant consists of ten different state of the art components, each specializing in a different area of pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Five of these components are ready for production, including the generics section, warehousing facility, biotech laboratories, injectable facility, and mRNA vaccines plant. The facility will also have the capacity to manufacture biological drugs, cytokines, therapeutic proteins, peptides, and monoclonal antibodies.
The Matugga located plant Dei BioPharma is expected to reduce Uganda’s dependence on imported vaccines and make affordable therapies more accessible. Upon completion, the facility is estimated to cost $1.2 billion and employ up to 40,000 Ugandans.
It has already been recognized for its potential impact, winning the award for best pharma company at the 2024 African Excellence Awards. The Ugandan government has provided significant financial support to Dei BioPharma, including a Shs578 billion bailout in 2024.
This bailout was met with some opposition, but Dr. Magoola has stated that the company plans to repay the government once the plant is operational. The company’s chairman, Dr. Patrick Wakida, has urged lawmakers to support the facility, citing its national importance.
The opening of the Dei BioPharma plant is a significant development for Uganda’s healthcare sector. The facility has the potential to transform the country’s pharmaceutical industry and improve access to essential medicines and vaccines.
The plant’s success will be closely watched by other African countries looking to develop their own pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities. However, there has been a widespread criticism after the team lead by Leader of Opposition Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi and Shaddow Ministers visited the place yesterday and found almost nothing in place.
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The team asked the government to halt the proposed additional money of around Ugx2bn that it is intending to add the Dei BioPharma to produce especially a vaccine that kills Coronavirus completely. It is still in balance and those that know where the factory is located, they say it is far from being functional.
