By Mulengera Reporters
Members of Parliament from the health committee visited the East African Medical Vitals factory in Namanve Industrial Park on Friday, lauding the company’s progress as Africa’s first surgical glove manufacturer. Established in 2021 by Ben Kavuya and five corporate shareholders, the fully Ugandan-owned and operated factory employs over 400 people and aims to broaden its product line to include syringes, cannulas, blood bags, condoms, and other medical supplies. The total investment in the factory stands at over $20 million.
However, while expressing gratitude for the government’s Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU) policy, Kavuya, the Executive Chairman, appealed for affordable financing, which he identified as a key challenge for the manufacturing sector. “Manufacturing is not like running a garment shop,” he explained. “There are processes that require patient money.” He urged the government to consider establishing a dedicated fund for manufacturers, highlighting the need for accessible and friendly capital to support the sector’s growth.
Kavuya emphasized that focusing on reviving struggling companies is not a sustainable approach. Instead, he advocated for the promotion of businesses that are already expanding and contributing positively to the economy.
“If you start saving companies that are already going under, that is not sustainable. The right way is to save the businesses that are expanding,” Kavuya stated, suggesting that such an approach would help companies maintain their loan portfolios and contribute to Uganda’s economic development.
ACHIEVEMENTS & EXPANSION
Brian Kavuya, Managing Director of East African Medical Vitals, detailed the factory’s achievements since its inception. The factory secured permission to sell its surgical gloves from the National Drug Authority in September 2021, with its operations officially launched by President Yoweri Museveni in December 2021. The company received a significant financial boost from the Uganda Development Corporation (UDC), which invested approximately UGX 20 billion to support the establishment of a second production line, packaging machines, and a warehouse. The new production line opened last July, enabling the factory to supply gloves to both government entities, such as the National Medical Stores (NMS) and Joint Medical Store (JMS), as well as private laboratories.
Hon. Dr Joseph Luyonga, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Health Committee and Hoima MP, praised the factory’s rapid development and its impact on Uganda’s manufacturing potential. “It is unbelievable what this company has been able to achieve in such a short time. We are grateful to Mr. Ben Kavuya for his vision and for showing Ugandans that anything can be done here,” Luyonga commented.
The MPs pledged to communicate the factory’s needs to the government and encouraged other Ugandans to invest in similar ventures within the country. A key concern raised during the visit was the factory’s reliance on imported rubber from Malaysia, which poses logistical and financial challenges. Luyonga called for a feasibility study to explore the cultivation of rubber in Uganda, given its economic potential and suitability for local production.
“We have been informed that the rubber tree can mature in only five years and can be harvested for over 25 years,” Luyonga said, highlighting that the crop is not labor-intensive and could provide a viable income source. The committee sees an opportunity to establish local rubber production, which would support domestic manufacturing and reduce dependency on imports. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at [email protected]). 
