By Evelyn Anite

The Uganda Virus Research Institute has been recommended to host the secretariat of the African AIDS Vaccine Programme. This choice of the Ugandan research institute was announced on December 14 during the 5th Conference of African AIDS Vaccine Programme held at the Kampala Serena Hotel.

The Secretariat of the African AIDS Vaccine Programme (AAVP) was first located in Geneva. The Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) was chosen over a total of eight African applicant research institutions from seven countries.

“The decision to transfer the secretariat to Uganda was not easy because all applicants submitted convincing bids. But Uganda was able to offer slightly more on the selection criteria,” said Dr. Alash’le Abimiku, Co-Chair of the AAVP Steering Committee and chair of the AAVP Transition Panel.

Speaking at the conference, Dr. Kimuro Apuuli, the Director General of Uganda AIDS Commission, said: Although the AAVP Secretariat has been transferred to Uganda, the objectives and expectations of the organisation are going to remain the same. The only big change is going to be that the secretariat is going to be manned and lead by Africans and it will make Africans feel that it belongs to them and work hard towards achieving the goals of the organisation.

It should be noted that the choice of UVRI came after an open and transparent process in which all applicant institutions were objectively judged on their merits by an External AAVP Transition Panel representing the key stakeholders.

Dr. Stephen Mallinga, the Minister for Health, said Uganda was honored to have been chosen to host this  programme. “With so many lives at stake, we take our responsibility seriously and pledge to work tirelessly towards the day when safe, effective HIV Vaccine will be available to protect Africans from this devastating illness,’’ Dr. Mallinga said during a press briefing immediately at the end of the conference.