Winnie Byanyima Swallows Her Pride And Thanks President Museveni For Doing This One Thing In Uganda

Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS and wife to prominent opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, has surprised many by publicly thanking President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for his early leadership in Uganda’s fight against HIV/AIDS.

Speaking during an interview on NBS Morning Breeze on June 19, 2025, Byanyima commended President Museveni’s foresight in prioritizing the battle against HIV/AIDS at a time when many leaders remained silent.

“I give credit to President Museveni,” she said.

“He saw that before others. He started an industry to make ARVs [antiretroviral drugs],” Byanyima acknowledged.

Her rare gesture of appreciation was, however, accompanied by strong criticism of Uganda’s current inability to meet its own medical demands.

While acknowledging the president's efforts to establish a pharmaceutical industry, she noted that the production of ARVs within the country is still far below national demand.

“The factory does not produce enough medicine for the number of patients,” she stated.

Due to this production gap, Byanyima revealed that Uganda continues to rely heavily on external sources — particularly India and the United States — for the bulk of its HIV medications.

“India and the Americans make a lot of money from our diseases all because of their knowledge on the drug,” she explained.

She called for greater investment in Uganda’s medical manufacturing capacity, urging the government to prioritise pharmaceutical independence in order to reduce costs, improve access, and secure long-term health sustainability.

“What they can do, we can do too. If we invest in research and local production,” she implied.

Byanyima’s statements have reignited conversation around Uganda’s healthcare system, foreign dependency, and the need for scientific innovation and self-reliance in Africa’s public health sector.

Do you agree with Winnie Byanyima’s praise and criticism? Should Uganda invest more in its own drug production? Share your thoughts in the comments section below