UVRI Turns 90, Commits to Climate Action Through Tree-Planting Drive

What the report says

Nile Post reports that the Uganda Virus Research Institute has opened activities marking its 90th anniversary with a tree-planting event at its headquarters in Entebbe. The institute launched a campaign called “90 Trees at 90,” under which 90 trees were planted to support environmental conservation, climate resilience and the upkeep of UVRI’s long-established green campus.

According to the report, UVRI Director Prof. Pontiano Kaleebu said the exercise connects the institute’s scientific mission with the protection of human health and the environment. He noted that some of the trees that have defined the campus for decades are ageing, making replacement and restoration part of preserving the institute’s heritage as it enters a new phase.

Local leaders also linked the event to public health and national research capacity. Entebbe Mayor Fabrice Rulinda, represented by Senfuka Tamuzadde, praised the campaign as an investment in future generations and highlighted the relationship between human, animal and environmental health. Entebbe Municipality MP Steven Shyaka Gashaija credited UVRI with strengthening Uganda’s ability to detect dangerous diseases and guide government responses, reducing reliance on external laboratories during emergencies.

The report places the anniversary in the context of UVRI’s development since its establishment in 1936 into a major medical research institution involved in disease surveillance, virology, outbreak preparedness and public health research. Nile Post says upcoming anniversary activities include a scientific conference and main celebrations scheduled for July 22, along with the commissioning of a regional polio laboratory intended to improve poliovirus sequencing, surveillance and outbreak response.