Prior to COVID, we had just one reference lab as for viral infections are worried. We had Uganda Virus Study Institute. However when COVID came, we dealt with CDC. CDC has been really on the center
of strengthening the services regarding viral and any type of epidemic break out monitoring in the country. CDC constructed capacity and we have actually been able now to expand our ability from one viral lab in UVRI. Now, as I speak,
we have much more labs in the country that are able
to identify COVID. So, it has actually been a game changer actually. I assume, diagnostic plays
a large function in top quality of care– timeliness, the credibility,
and also the top quality of the outcomes make a lot of difference,
even we as the clinicians. So we say thanks to CDC for that. By the time COVID came in
we took a choice as ministry to approve even more laboratories. Because we already had embraced SLMTA,
( Strengthening Research Laboratory Administration Toward Certification) we already had SLMTA auditors, who helped us in assessing all these laboratories.I’ll inform you what. When the analysis was done, as a result of the SLMTA that they had actually gone through, they fulfilled the demands for accreditation. They had systems in
area, high quality systems, biosafety remained in area, HR existed, logistics management and this is because these labs had already been registered on SLMTA. And as we speak now, we’ve. actually decentralized our COVID screening to also to the lower wellness centers,. to the regional referral health centers
, and this means, we have actually enhanced accessibility,. we’ve successfully taken care of the COVID. But this is because we have actually constructed a system. with the SLMTA program.
As well as I believe had it. not been that, we would certainly have lost count on our results. by our stakeholders. We would not have handled to test. or boost access.
So, we truly appreciate that. Uganda took up this as well as it discovered us. all set to be able to manage COVID. So we'' ve successfully dealt with COVID.
due to the fact that we had an excellent laboratory system, that was reinforced.
by the SLMTA program. Yes.
