Africa-Press – Uganda. The Director General of Health Services at the Ministry of Health, Dr Henry Mwebesa, has directed border districts health officers to clear truck drivers with negative 72 hours Covid-19 tests , to enter the country.
“Government has agreed to clear all truck drivers and their accompanying staff, with negative Covid-19 PCR results taken in the last 72 hours. However, the tests must have been done from the attached list of approved laboratories in the East African Community,” he said. In a January 6 communication, a copy of which the Saturday Monitor has seen, Mr Mwebesa issued directives to district health officers of Tororo, Busia, Amuru, Rakai, Kabale, and Kasese.
Dr Mwebesa said the decision was reached after an inter-ministerial meeting on Thursday chaired by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja where it was agreed that clearing the drivers would solve the backlog of cargo trucks that had accumulated at the borders.
However, travellers are still required to test at all points of entry for $25 but do not have to wait for results.
The communication lists 66 of the 77 laboratories that scored more than 80 percent in the assessment by the regional team using the World Health Organisation assessment tool.
The Health ministry senior public relations officer, Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, on Friday said the directive has been the status quo at all borders for people entering the country.
“Travellers are required to present negative Covid-19 tests taken 72 hours prior to their arrival. Upon arrival, they are tested again and continue with their journey, the results find them where they are,” he said.
Mr Ainebyoona said there have been no delays in people’s movements as a result of waiting for Covid-19 results.
“Most of these labs are able to give them the results in the shortest time possible, there is no delay. People take tests and continue with their journey, those who are found positive are alerted and given advice on precautions to take to avoid spreading the virus,” he said.
According to the 21st sectoral Council of the Ministers of Health report, an assessment on laboratories was carried out by a regional team composed of experts from partner states with each country’s team made up of; two laboratory experts, one WHO expert from the country office of each partner state, representative from the Ministry of East African and community Affairs, experts from the East African secretariat and Ministry of Health ground staff who supported the assessment teams during the exercise.
Procedure for Covid-19 testing at Entebbe international airport
In light of the global challenges occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic and the risk of importing new variants from high-risk countries, the government is undertaking mandatory testing of all incoming passengers at Entebbe International Airport in order to reduce on the risk of further spread of the virus.
Requirements for arriving passengers
Arriving passengers should hold a negative Covid-19 PCR test certificate issued within 72 hours from the time of sample collection to boarding aircraft leaving country of origin.
Arrival process
Before departure from the country of origin to Entebbe International Airport, passengers are required to fill in an online health form accessed on the link https://arrivals.healthdesk.go.ug. This will lead them to the Post Bank online platform (https:// covidpay.postbank.co.ug) which enables them to pay the fee of $30 for the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCT) Test to be conducted on arrival.
All passengers will be required to go through the recommended port health procedure of identifying body temperature, symptoms and thereafter directed to a team of laboratory specialists to take a Covid-19 swab for testing. The arrival test only applies to those entering the country (transit passengers are exempted.
After taking their swab, passengers will be directed back to the terminal to go through the immigration process.
From the arrival immigration counters, passengers proceed to the conveyor belts to pick their respective luggage and then go through customs clearance processes, in case of any taxable items.
Effective November 5, 2021, all arriving passengers at Entebbe International Airport were allowed to go home after testing so that they self-isolate until their results are out. The positives would subsequently be tracked for further management, according to the Ministry of Health Protocol on Covid-19
Payment options
Passengers can pay at the various Post Bank kiosks and also exchange currency and have an option of paying for their testing fees using mobile money services, visa, credit cards or making cash payments.
Tests for children
Children below six years are exempted from the requirement for a negative PCR test certificate if they are accompanied by parents holding a negative Covid -19 PCR test certificate.
Handling of passengers who test positive on arrival
Passengers who test positive on arrival are provided psychosocial support and transferred to the gazetted public and private treatment facilities where they are managed for seven days and discharged following a negative PCR test.
The treatment is free in public hospitals. However, passengers who opt for private hospitals meet their own costs.
In the case of arriving tourists, if they are asymptomatic or with mild disease, they are managed in the designated tourist hotels. The tourists who may progress to severe disease are transferred to hospitals of their choice.
*Source: Uganda Civil Aviation Authority via Mr Vianne Luggya, spokesperson UCAA
Country Facility
Burundi Kitega Hospital
Kayanza Hospital
Chibitoke Hospital
Institut National de Sante Publique (INSP)
Kenya National Influenza Centre, Nairobi
National HIV Reference Lab, Nairobi
Nairobi Hospital
African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF) Medical Centre – Wilson Airport, Nairobi
International Organization for Migration Laboratory, Nairobi
Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital\
Kenya Medical Research institute (KEMRI – VHF) – Nairobi
Mahi Mahiu (Naivasha) Mobile testing point
Namanga One Stop Mobile laboratory
International livestock Research Institute (ILRI Lab), Nairobi
Kenya Medical Research institute/ WALTER REED project/Kericho
Kenya Medical Research institute (KEMRI) Laboratory for Molecular Biology, Nairobi
Pathologists Lancet Kenya
Kenya Medical Research institute (KEMRI/CDC) — Nairobi
Coast General County Referral Hospital, Mombasa
Kenya Medical Research institute (KEMRI Welcome Trust Project), Kilifi
Malindi Sub County Hospital, Kilifi
AMPATH Plus Laboratory, Eldoret
Kenya Medical Research Institute, Alupe HIV Laboratory/ Busia
Kitale AMPATH PLUS Teaching Referral Hospital
Sudan Queen’s Laboratory, Juba
National Public Health Laboratory, Juba
Checkups medical centre, Juba
Med Blue Laboratory, Juba
Crawford Laboratory, Juba
Rwanda Gisenyi District Hospital Laboratory, Rubavu District
Ruhengeri Referral Hospital Laboratory, Musanze District, Northern Province
King Faysal Hospital Rwanda Lab, Kigali City, Gasabo
National Reference Laboratory, Kigali City, Gasabo
University Teaching Hospital Butare Laboratory (UTHBL)/CHUB
Gihundwe District Hospital Lab
Nyangatare District Hospital Lab
Kigali University Hospital Laboratory (CHUK)
Military Hospital Laboratory
Kacyiru District Hospital Laboratory
Uganda Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), Entebbe
Adjumani Mobile laboratory, Adjumani
Test and Fly, Elegu Branch
Test and Fly, Malaba Branch
Gulu University multi -function laboratory, Gulu
Tororo Mobile laboratory, Tororo
Rakai Health Science Program Laboratory, Kyotera
Epicenter Laboratory, Mbarara
Central Public Health Laboratory, Kampala
Entebbe International Airport Health Laboratory
ATCG Solutions laboratory
Lancet laboratories
International Organization for Migration (IOM), Kampala
Mengo Hospital Laboratory
Genomic and Molecular Biology Laboratory (MAK-CHS)
LMK Medical Laboratory and Consultancies Ltd
Times Lab and Diagnostic
MBN Clinical Laboratories
ANCA Biotech Laboratory
Case Medical Centre Laboratory
Mulago National Referral Hospital Covid-19 Laboratory
Uganda Cancer Institute-Fred Hutch Cancer Centre Covid-19 Laboratory
Tanzania Mount Meru regional referral hospital, Arusha
Bugando medical centre, Mwanza
Dodoma regional referral hospital
Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, Zanzibar
National Public Health Laboratory, Dar es Salaam
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
