Uganda: MPs Urge Government to Release Shs1.6 Trillion for Dei Biopharma Drug Plant
[Nile Post] Parliament's Presidential Affairs Committee has called on the government to urgently release the $430m that the biotechnology firm Dei BioPharma says it needs to finish its drug and vaccine plant in Matugga.
Ugandan MPs have urged the government to immediately release $430m to complete Dei BioPharma's drug and vaccine plant in Matugga. The Presidential Affairs Committee sees the project as crucial for job creation, reducing medicine import bills and making treatments for diseases like cancer and sickle cell accessible to ordinary patients.
Touring the 250-acre site on August 10, committee chairperson Simon Peter Okwalinga expressed confidence in the plant's potential, stating that it could triple Uganda's development. MP Ofwono Opondo, aligning with President Museveni's drive to protect strategic local firms, proposed that the government commission the plant to supply the public health system, with targets for drug supply over three to five years.
Dei BioPharma's founder, Dr Matthias Magoola, reported that six facilities were already operational, with about 70% of works completed, and suggested the plant could be finished before the end of 2027 if the remaining $430m is released. The company intends to list on the stock market to attract local and foreign investors.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
