The Ministry of Health (MoH) has directed that whoever intends to travel out of the country through Entebbe should pay for COVID-19 tests through the ministry account numbers.
The decree is carried in circular issued by MoH Director of General Services, Dr Henry G Mwebesa.
Dr Mwebesa indicates that travellers should indicate their intended purpose of the test as travel and all certificates should indicate so.
This notice is issued against the background that some travellers have been going to Government testing centres claiming ‘. that they are contacts to previously confirmed cases hence tested for free, yet the actual purpose of the test was for “travel.” A11 tests for ‘contacts’ and ‘alerts’ will henceforth be labelled accordingly on their certificates,” Dr Mwebesa states.
He says that contacts and alerts will not be allowed to fly even if they are negative for COVID-19.
According to the new rules, all intending travellers are now required to pay Shs 180,000 at any Stanbic Bank branch under the Ministry’s account name.
“All intending travellers who would like to test at, Government facilities are required to pay UGX 180,000 (One hundred and eighty thousand shillings only) at any Stanbic Bank under the following Account Details. ACCOUNT NAME: MOH COVID-l9 TESTING FUNDS ACCOUNT NUMBER: 90300 17 657 983,” DR Mwebesa writes
“A copy of a valid- payment slip should be taken to the accredited Government sample collection sites for your sample to be removed and will be sent to the accredited laboratories for analysis and testing. Results of the test will be given within 24 – 48 hours. However, ‘individuals who wish to test at any of the accredited private laboratories can do so. “
The Ministry of Health noted that all travellers that they are required to have a negative certificate taken within COVID- 19 120 hours before departure and NOT within 72 hours as has been the case. Please note that the 120 hours begin on the day the sample is collected for testing.
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