On 7th February 2018, the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Tanzania Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Prof. James Epifani Mdoe visited the Southern African Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance (SACIDS) with the aim of learning about the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) based at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA).

Upon his arrival, Prof. Mdoe was received by the SUA’s Vice Chancellor Professor Raphael Chibunda. Accompanied by the SUA Management, Prof. Mdoe visited the SACIDS- Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals in Southern and Eastern Africa (SACIDS-ACE) Molecular Biology Laboratory at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS). He met and spoke with the SACIDS Secretariat staff, SACIDS-ACE postgraduate students and all Heads of Department at the college. The Principal of CVMBS Prof. Maulilio Kipanyula briefed Prof. Mdoe of the CVMS and invited the SACIDS-ACE Centre leader Prof. Gerald Misinzo to brief Professor Mdoe on the SACIDS-ACE progress.

Speaking about SACIDS-ACE, the Centre Leader, Prof. Misinzo delivered a presentation on the status of implementation of the Centre’s targets as well as various challenges facing the Centre.

For his part, Prof. Mdoe commended the Centre works in research and capacity building and noted its challenges whereby the Government assured its support to  SUA. He also urged the Centre to publicise the Centre’s capacity in molecular biology of infectious diseases in order for other Tanzanian institutions to use its technology and expertise.

Professor Mdoe visited the other Africa Centers of Excellence (ACE) at SUA,  the ACE for Innovative Rodent Pest Management & Biosensor Technology Development (IRPM&BTD). He then visited the Department of Food Technology, Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, the Sokoine National Agricultural Library, SUA Health Centre, Student’s Hostel and the University Farm.