Health ministry unveils 14 laboratories accredited to test Covid-19

The ministry of health has released a list showing 14 laboratories that are accredited to conduct Covid-19 tests.

The list, which was released on November 2, contains Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL), Infectious Disease Institute (IDI) Laboratory, Makerere University, and Mild-May Laboratory.

Others are Tororo Mobile laboratory, Mutukula Mobile laboratory, Adjumani Mobile laboratory, Joint Clinical Research Center (JCRC), MBN Laboratory and Medipal International Hospital.

There is also Test and Fly Laboratory, Uganda Cancer Institute, Fred Hutchison Laboratory and IOM Laboratory.

In Uganda, it currently costs one Shs185,000 to test for the coronavirus, the pathogen that spreads Covid-19.

The charges are only incurred by people who would like to know their status, those that need a negative Covid-19 certificate for international travel, organizations that seek to test their staff in addition to truck drivers at different ports of entry.

However, patients who present to health facilities with Covid-19 symptoms, contacts of people who have tested positive for Covid-19, surveillance samples, and Front-line Health workers, are not be charged to get their Covid-19 results.

Uganda has so far confirmed 17968 cases of the coronavirus, 172 deaths and 8611 recoveries. In total, 609268 tests have been conducted.