Uganda President Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has officially launched Covid-19 laboratories to be used for mandatory Covid-19 testing of all incoming passengers, through Entebbe International Airport on Friday, October 22nd, 2021.
At a function held at the new terminal extension, it was revealed that a notice to airmen communicating the details of the mandatory testing requirements to all airlines is to be immediately processed and issued accordingly.
Speaking at the launch, Museveni commended all stakeholders who played a key role in making it possible.
The prime minister Rt.Hon. Robinah Nabbanja had earlier on cited the Ministry of Health, ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, ministry of Works and Transport, the Army Brigade and the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority as having played leading roles.
The function was also attended by the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Lukiya Nakadama, the minister in charge of general duties Hon. Justine Lumumba, minister of health Dr. Ruth Aceng, minister of Finance Planning and Economic Development Hon. Matia Kasaija, among other diginitaries.
Earlier on, Rt.Hon. Nabbanja informed stakeholders at the meeting held on Thursday, October 21, 2021, that the measure is intended to curb further importation of the deadly variants of corona virus into the country. The country has only been testing passengers from high-risk countries.
The ministry of health set up testing laboratories at the airport and trained laboratory technicians, data entrants and all other port-health staff to manage the process.
The turnaround time for the mandatory Covid-19 test results will be reduced from four hours to two hours and fifteen minutes. Five PRC test machines with capacity to test 300 samples per hour are in place, at Entebbe International airport.
This facility has the capacity to test 3600 passengers in 12 hours and 7200 in 24 hours.
Government reduced the test of Covid-19 test from 65 USD dollars to 30 USD dollars. However many people believe this cost is still too high for travellers, and prohibitive.
The transfer of testing laboratories from Peniel Beach where private laboratories were operating, to Entebbe International airport under government was intended to improve on the passenger facilitation process, to ensure effective service delivery.
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