The College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) on Tuesday 19^th July 2023 hosted Malaysia based Bio-Angle Vacs SDN.HBD., a pharmaceutical company supplying veterinary vaccine for goats and sheep.

The team was led by the Chief Executive Officer Noor Shazreena Ishak, who was accompanied by Alhaj Habib Kagimu, the honorary Consul of Malaysia in Uganda and Fatim Mohemd Tarip from Pure Adventure Global Trade.

During their interactions with the CoVAB management and staff, it was revealed that Bio-Angle Vacs SDN.HBD were the manufacturers of the first intranasal spray vaccine for small ruminants in the world.

While welcoming the team, CoVAB Principal Prof. Nobert Frank Mwiine gave a brief background about the college and Makerere University as a whole.  He said with effect from the year 2022 going forward, the University was refocusing towards becoming research led.  He said University and Industry work hand in hand in offering solutions to societal problems, adding that it was high time that the college created strong partnerships with the industry on order to come up with products that benefit society.

Prof. Mwiine noted that the community was affected by a number of diseases and that it was important that scientists address the control, management and total elimination of diseases.   He cited the example of the global agenda of eliminating foot and moth disease noting that Uganda was incapacitated because of such diseases and cannot export products to international markets.

He said as Makerere University, there were a number of post graduate programs that can address such challenges through research. ‘The Animal Industry must be improved. It is our role as researchers to precent diseases, there are protocols to prevent diseases’, he said, while taking cognizance of the fact that as much as Uganda was gifted with wildlife, these bring with them a number of viruses and bacteria.  It is upon us as researchers to find solutions, he observed.

While addressing himself on the vaccine produced by Bio-angle Vacs Sdn Bhd, Prof Mwiine observed that this was for the small ruminants like goats and sheep and called upon the scientists to help find solutions to other diseases, bearing in mind that need is the mother of innovation.

The Bio-angle Vacs Sdn Bhd Chief Executive Officer Noor Shazreena Ishak, said her company was focusing on products which through innovations would help farmers improve productivity.  She said their product STVac an intra nasal spray vaccine was wholly developed and patented by Universiti Putra Malaysia and had 98% proven efficacy.  She explained that the vaccine stimulates local immunity that protects the respiratory tract from the invasion of M. haemolytica A 2, A7 and A9 and at the same time stimulates the systematic immunity of the animals.

Alhaj Habib Kagimu, the honorary Consul of Malaysia in Uganda said he was proud of Makerere University, citing the example of the Electric Car which he said he supported and it came to reality.  He said Makerere University was internationally recognized and charged the researchers and teachers at the University to ensure that the knowledge they are generating impact others.

‘You people here at Makerere are our leaders whether you know it or not’ he said adding that education is something that cannot be stolen, and pledged continued partnerships with the college.

Makerere University  signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Alfasan Uganda Limited on 19^th March, 2021 to facilitate production of test batches of the Anti-Tick Vaccine developed by the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB). The MoU was signed on behalf of Makerere University by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and on behalf of Alfasan by the Managing Director Dr. Stephen Birungi.

Similarly, a memorandum of understanding was signed between The Principal Investigator of the Anti-Tick Vaccine Development Initiative and the Honorary Consul of Malaysia in Uganda for producing and using advanced technology in treating animals. This will enable bringing the technology to Alfasan, a company that is developing the anti- tick and other vaccines that can be administered orally.