GOV’T ROLLS OUT LOCALLY MADE MEDICAL TEST KITS

DAILY MONITOR

The Ministry of Health has cleared Uganda-made test kits for HIV, malaria, and sickle cell disease for use in health facilities after they successfully passed all necessary tests and received approval from the National Drug Authority (NDA).

Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Minister of Health, announced the development during the official launch of the kits in Kampala on April 2.

She revealed that the ministry has already adjusted the national testing standards to accommodate the locally manufactured kits.

“We have already incorporated it into our [testing] algorithm. We shall be using it officially. We are using them together with other test kits,” she said.

She said at that: “We shall have a Stat-Pak as a confirmatory [test]….so when we deliver it to your facility, know that it is part of the algorithm which the Director General will sign and send to all of you.’’

Dr Susan Nabadda, Commissioner for Laboratory and Diagnostic Services at the Ministry, explained that the kits target high-burden diseases such as malaria, HIV, and sickle cell.

She noted that while the kits had been launched earlier, they had not yet been officially rolled out in government health facilities.

“We launched before, but government and health facilities had not officially taken them on to be used. We had to go through all the processes needed to make sure that the kits are right to be used, which we finalised,” she said.

Adding that: “And now the kits are quality assured, gone through very rigorous validation, and now they are ready to be used. The government’s commitment through Buy Uganda, Build Uganda (BUBU), made sure we procure them, and they are already distributed in the health facilities.”

According to government statistics, about 1.5 million Ugandans are currently living with HIV, while around 16 people die of malaria every day. In addition, between 20,000 and 25,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease in Uganda each year.

Prime Minister Ms Robinah Nabbanja said the government would continue supporting local manufacturers to build self-reliance and shield the country from shocks in accessing medical supplies, similar to those experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are marking a turning point from dependency to self-reliance. From importation to production, from vulnerability to resilience,” she said.

State Minister for Trade, Mr Wilson Mbadi, noted that shifting to local procurement would significantly reduce costs for the government.

He revealed that Uganda consumes about 15 million HIV test kits and 30 million malaria test kits annually, resulting in substantial foreign exchange losses due to importation.

“Each (locally made) kit costs $0.6 compared to imported ones, at $1.5. Therefore, Uganda, when manufacturing kits, is well positioned for regional and international markets,” he said.

Dr Cedric Akwesigye, Managing Director of Microhaem Scientifics, thanked the government for its support and pledged continued production of quality health products for both the local and international markets.