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HIV/AIDS Institute in Uganda

President Yoweri Museveni opened a US$4.5m teaching complex at Mulago Hospital on October 20, 2004 with a call for more international support to combat the disease.

The infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), Africa’s only anti-AIDS teaching facility, is to train the continent’s doctors in the management and treatment of people with HIV/AIDS.

Of the 40 million people living with the epidemic worldwide, more than 25 million are in Africa.

The ultra-modern two storey complex equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories is a result of a partnership between Pfizer (the main financiers), the Academic Alliance for AIDS Care and prevention in Africa, Pangaea Global AIDS Foundation, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), Academic Alliance Foundation (AAF), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Makerere University and Mulago Hospital.

President Museveni observed, “While we need more partnership to wipe out AIDS, we are going to start fighting some partners who have been stealing our patents. It is very unfair for our scientists to make discoveries and then other people steal them.”

President Museveni pointed out that only a multi-pronged attack against AIDS will yield results. He stressed the need for focus on prevention, careful use of drugs, continued research and treatment.

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