Kampala, Uganda: The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has received three Land Cruiser vehicles from the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC) to strengthen wildlife health surveillance and rapid response across protected areas.
The vehicles were officially handed over by GVTC Executive Secretary Dr Andrew Seguya to UWA Board Chairperson George Owoyesigyire, who, in turn, presented them to UWA Executive Director Dr James Musinguzi for operational deployment.
Dr Seguya said the support is aimed at improving surveillance systems, especially in remote conservation zones where mobility remains a challenge.
“This support will enhance surveillance, improve laboratory sample transportation, and strengthen community engagement in hard-to-reach conservation areas. This is just the beginning—more support is coming,” he said.
The intervention aligns with the One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health to strengthen early detection and response to diseases—particularly zoonotic threats that can spread between wildlife and humans.
Receiving the vehicles, UWA Board Chairperson George Owoyesigyire said the donation comes at a critical time when Uganda is scaling up disease monitoring in protected areas. “This support will significantly improve wildlife health monitoring and surveillance, especially in areas that have been difficult to access,” he noted.
Dr James Musinguzi, the UWA Executive Director, emphasised that improved mobility will directly strengthen field operations, enabling quicker response to disease outbreaks and more efficient sample collection and transportation.
“With these vehicles, our teams will be able to respond faster, monitor more effectively, and engage communities better, particularly in remote conservation landscapes,” he said.
The donation is part of broader cross-border conservation efforts under the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration, which brings together Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to manage shared ecosystems.
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