Ministry of Health sets up seven testing centres for Covid-19

The minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, has revealed that the ministry has identified seven testing centres across the country to ease the load on Uganda Virus Research Institute(UVRI).

She said initially the testing for Covid-19 was exclusively done at Uganda Virus Research Institute which has done a tremendous job running up to 3000 tests per day.

She made the remarks while delivering the third address on Covid-19 where she said there is intensified rapid testing to address community transmission of the pandemic.

She said the ministry has assessed many laboratories across the country that can be activated for testing in an organised way based on the dynamic of the infections spread and the availability of the reagents.

The laboratories that have been assessed and are deemed ready are Makerere University department of microbiology and immunology; the National Health Laboratory services(SPHL); the Infectious Disease Research Collaboration in Tororo district; the UVRI plague laboratory in Arua; Gulu University Laboratory; Rakai Health Sciences laboratory in Rakai district and the laboratory in Fort Portal regional referral hospital.

Aceng noted that the ministry has equipped laboratories at Mutukula and Malaba borders with genexpert machines to reduce the turnaround time of reserves for inbound truck drivers.

She said the ministry has disseminated guidelines on the use of personal protective equipment to all health facilities across the country.

"The government has mobilised and provided Shs 314 billion to the ministry to handle requirements for Covid-19. The total budget required for this response for the period of six months is Shs 990 billion," she said.