Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a highly infectious viral disease which is a great global public health concern with unprecedented challenges, not just for Uganda but the whole world. As such Uganda just like other countries has put in various national efforts to fights COVID-19 pandemic. For example, Uganda’s National Security Council has set up an Inter-Agency Joint Task Force (JTF) at National and Regional levels to support the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Combatting CODIV-19 epidemic in Uganda. Similarly, The Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation (MoSTI), Uganda set up research technology and innovation task team (think tank) to deliberate on appropriate scientific research, technologies and innovations that can be harnessed to defeat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda. And Pharm-Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine (PHARMBIOTRAC) is represented on the think tank by 3 experts – Dr. Patrick Engeu Ogwang (Principal Investigator/Deputy Director, PHARMBIOTRAC); Dr. Casim Umba Tolo (Director, PHARMBIOTRAC); and Eng. Anke Weisheit (Chair Innovation & Business Management, PHARMBIOTRAC). As a result of the efforts of our postgraduate students and staff, we have presented 3 projects to The Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation (MoSTI), Uganda for consideration. These include;

Project 1: PharmSan Innovations – a Liquid and Gel formulation Hand Sanitizer. It is produced by PHARMBIOTRAC to meet the World Health Organization (WHO) prescribed guidelines of hand sanitizers for prevention of COVID-19, with the aim of lowering the prices of the products and also increasing their affordability for the local population;

Project 2: Exploration of Local Production of Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients. This is premised on the fact that Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine have been reported as beneficial in COVID-19 cases and found to be effective in inhibiting COVID-19 infection in vitro. Most important is the fact that East Africa has no facility for production de novo of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine. PHARMBIOTRAC is expected to do this in collaboration with Cipla Quality Chemical Industries Ltd, a leading Pharmaceutical Industry in Uganda);

Project 3: Identification of Potential Medicinal Plants used against COVID-19 as drug development efforts in Uganda for use against Coronavirus disease tapping into the wealth of indigenous knowledge of Traditional Medicine.

Appeal for support
Dear Friend/ Colleague/Well-wisher,

We, the Team of The Pharm-Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine Centre (PHARMBIOTRAC) comprising of pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, pharmacy postgraduate students and other scientists have come up with the 3 Project.

We would like to receive financial support from all: well-wishers, private individuals/donors, charitable organizations and philanthropists to support our course and to contribute directly through the currently feasible options.

Some countries in the global north: https://gogetfunding.com/pharmbiotrac/
Mobile Money (Anke Weisheit): +256-772-788096 (MTN Uganda), +256-702-888096 (Airtel Uganda),
Bank Account can be shared on request: aweisheit@must.ac.ug, CC: pharmbiotrac@must.ac.ug

For more information about funding for our initiative contact:
Eng. (Ms.) Anke Weisheit
Co-Founder and Chair, Innovation & Business Management, PHARMBIOTRAC
Tel: +256-702-888096 (Airtel Uganda),
WhatsApp: +256-772-788096 (MTN Uganda)
Email: aweisheit@must.ac.ug

Thank you in advance for your kind support and we will forever be grateful to you!