Malian Delegation Hails Ugandan Pharma Plant as African Self-Reliance Model

A high-level military delegation from nine African countries, participating in war college studies in Mali, recently toured the Dei BioPharma Ltd. campus in Matugga, Uganda. The visit, part of a strategic study tour hosted by the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces, aimed to strengthen bilateral military cooperation and explore avenues for pharmaceutical self-reliance across the continent.

Led by Brig. Gen. Moussa Yoro Kante, director of education for the Malian Defense Forces, the delegation included officers from Mali, Guinea Conakry, Burkina Faso, Niger, Morocco, Togo, Chad, Senegal, and Cameroon. They expressed admiration for the advanced biotechnology and drug manufacturing facilities.

“What the members of the fifth cohort and I have seen here inspires us in more ways than one. The work here is mesmerizing,” stated Gen. Kante. He emphasized that the delegation would share their positive observations, highlighting the Dei BioPharma facility as a tangible example for their respective nations.

Dr. Matthias Magoola, founder and managing director of Dei BioPharma, reiterated his vision for continental expansion, a sentiment met with enthusiasm by the delegation. Dr. Magoola also confirmed Uganda’s offer to share pharmaceutical formulas freely with other African nations, a presidential initiative rooted in Pan-Africanism to reduce external dependency. He identified technological capacity as the primary barrier to African pharmaceutical independence, noting that the company has secured U.S. patents and developed domestic manufacturing capabilities.

Dr. Chetna Jain, CEO of Dei BioPharma, underscored the significance of the visit, stating that the state-of-the-art facility is a testament to African innovation and collaboration. The expansive Matugga campus, established by Dr. Magoola, is designed for large-scale production of various medicines and vaccines, with projections for substantial job creation and economic growth for Uganda and the wider continent.

This pharmaceutical site visit concluded a week of broader military engagements, reinforcing the strong defense partnership between Uganda and Mali, which includes significant military training exchanges.

Source: Nile Post