Mukula's Syringes Plant In Namanve Nears Completion.

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) chairperson Eastern Uganda and Businessman, Flt. Captain Mike Mukula has erected a multi-billion Shillings Syringes manufacturing factory in Namanve.

Captain Mike Mukula 

"I am pleased to announce that MAHATHI MEDICALS INDUSTRIES LTD has today successfully tested its production line of the disposable syringes plant in NAMANVE. This will be one of the largest plants in sub-Saharan Africa"- said Mukula.


MAHATHI MEDICAL INDUSTRIES LTD becomes the first East Africa and 3rd in Central African company to manufacture medical devices such as disposable syringes.

The devices are expected to be exported to over 28 countries across the globe. and also supplying numerous government agencies, Non-Governmental organizations (NGOs), and private clientele.

Every hospital in Africa, daily, uses needles on a majority of the patients they see.

Just like gloves, needles, and syringes are an essential aspect of hospital practice in Uganda and Africa at large. They are widely used to collect blood samples for investigations, to administer injections, and for other purposes.

Excluding the purpose of sample collection for diagnosis purposes, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) conservative estimate pegged the number of injections administered annually at 16 billion out of which 5% are for immunizing children and adults, and 5% are for other procedures like blood transfusions and injectable contraceptives.

The remaining 90% of injections are given into muscle (intramuscular route) or skin (subcutaneous or intradermal route) to administer medicines. 

This global trend is similar in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan, Congo, Rwanda, etc where health practitioners are giving injections even though there are oral treatment options.

One reason is that people in many countries expect to receive injections, believing they represent the most effective treatment. Another is that for many health workers in developing countries, giving injections in private practice supplements salaries that may be inadequate to support their families.

Since the trend is not ending anytime soon, a multi-billion dollar sector has emerged, one that is expected to reach USD 1.64 billion by 2025 from a market value of USD 1.22 billion in 2016 at a CAGR of 5.98%.

The steady rise in the syringe market has been linked to the increasing Prevalence of chronic diseases, rising aging population, and technological advancements in Syringe drug delivery.

While the increasing prevalence of diabetes resulted in higher demand for syringes, the major factor limiting the growth of the global syringe market has been factors like the risk of infection associated with drug delivery through syringes, and the high costs of specialized syringes. Here captain Mike Mukula says this project will reduce the costs.

In 2015, WHO called for the adoption of syringes with improved safety features. It however admitted that donors would be required to heavily subsidize the cost of the smart syringes which cost at least twice the amount for the regular types

.