NHLDS · Ministry of Health
Advancing One Health and national health security
The National Biosafety and Biosecurity Programme leads Uganda’s efforts to strengthen biosafety, biosecurity, and biorisk management — protecting the country from naturally occurring, accidental, and deliberate biological threats.
As the national focal programme, it provides strategic leadership in governance, policy development, laboratory systems strengthening, workforce development, and multisectoral coordination to safeguard human, animal, and environmental health through a One Health approach.
Working with government institutions, security agencies, academia, research institutions, and national and international partners, the Programme strengthens prevention, detection, preparedness, and response to infectious diseases, zoonotic threats, antimicrobial resistance, laboratory incidents, and other biological risks. It also oversees national biosafety governance through the National Biosafety Committee, Institutional Biosafety Committees, and Technical Working Groups.
It promotes comprehensive biorisk management — including risk assessments, biosafety and biosecurity audits, workforce certification, pathogen accountability, laboratory infrastructure, emergency preparedness, and compliance with the WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual and ISO 35001:2019. It provides technical leadership during public health emergencies, supports laboratory surge capacity, and advances responsible conduct of the life sciences, dual-use research oversight, export control awareness, and integrated Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) preparedness.
Through partnerships, training, operational research, and innovation, the Programme supports Uganda’s implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005), the Biological Weapons Convention, the Global Health Security Agenda, and related global health security commitments.
Vision and mission
Vision
A Uganda with resilient biosafety and biosecurity systems that safeguard human, animal, and environmental health through an integrated One Health approach.
Mission
To provide strategic leadership in biosafety and biosecurity management through effective governance, laboratory systems strengthening, and compliance with national and international frameworks.
Strategic objectives
- Strengthen biosafety and biosecurity governance, policy, and regulatory systems.
- Enhance laboratory systems and institutional biorisk management.
- Build a competent and sustainable biosafety and biosecurity workforce.
- Strengthen One Health coordination and multisectoral collaboration.
- Enhance preparedness, detection, and response to biological threats and public health emergencies.
- Promote responsible conduct of the life sciences and dual-use risk management.
- Strengthen pathogen accountability, biosurveillance, and biological risk reduction.
- Foster national, regional, and international partnerships to advance health security.
Our programmes
Biorisk Management (BRM) Training
Building a competent biosafety and biosecurity workforce
The BRM Training Programme strengthens the competencies of laboratory personnel and institutions to implement effective biosafety, biosecurity, and biorisk management systems. Aligned with ISO 35001:2019, ISO 15190:2020, and the WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual (4th Edition), it delivers national and regional training, Training of Trainers (ToT), continuous professional development, practical simulations, emergency response exercises, e-learning, and professional certification support. It also promotes institutional capacity building, One Health collaboration, biosafety awareness, and a national database of trained and certified professionals.
Biorisk Management Mentorship
Sustaining excellence through continuous improvement
The BRM Mentorship Programme provides structured on-site mentorship, coaching, and supportive supervision so laboratories can translate knowledge into practice. Through technical coaching, skills transfer, performance monitoring, follow-up assessments, and targeted improvement plans, it strengthens laboratory performance, institutional resilience, and the long-term sustainability of biorisk management systems.
Biorisk Management Assessment
Measuring performance. Driving continuous improvement.
The BRM Assessment Programme evaluates laboratory biosafety and biosecurity systems using standardised national and international tools. It conducts biosafety and biosecurity audits, laboratory risk assessments, infrastructure assessments, and waste management assessments to identify gaps, measure compliance, and guide evidence-based improvements. These reviews cover laboratory operations, engineering controls, biological hazards, specimen management, infrastructure, and environmental safety.
High Consequence Agents and Toxins (HCAT)
Securing Uganda’s highest-risk biological materials
The HCAT Programme strengthens national systems for the safe, secure, and accountable management of high-risk pathogens and toxins that threaten public health, agriculture, biodiversity, and national security. It develops national policies and guidelines, conducts facility assessments, strengthens inventory and accountability systems, enhances biosecurity practices, supports incident reporting, and improves emergency preparedness — reducing the risks of theft, loss, diversion, or misuse of dangerous biological materials.
One Health Collaboration
Connecting sectors. Strengthening national resilience.
The One Health Collaboration Programme promotes coordination among the human, animal, plant, environmental, security, and research sectors. It facilitates national coordination, joint preparedness planning, technical working groups, multisectoral field assessments, knowledge-sharing platforms, partner engagement, and resource mobilisation — strengthening outbreak preparedness, information sharing, and national and regional health security.
Policy and Technical Documents
Building strong governance through standards and policy
This programme leads the development, review, harmonisation, dissemination, and implementation of national biosafety and biosecurity policies, strategies, standards, guidelines, manuals, standard operating procedures, and technical tools. It supports institutions to strengthen document control, standardise laboratory practices, and meet national and international requirements.
Work with the Programme
NHLDS works with government, security, academic, research, and international partners to strengthen biosafety, biosecurity, and national health security.
Contact NHLDS