Before COVID, we had only one cite laboratory as far as viral infections are concerned. We had Uganda Virus Research Institute. But when COVID came, we worked with CDC. CDC has been really on the forefront of strengthening the services as far as viral and any epidemic outbreak surveillance in the country. CDC constructed faculty and weve been able now to expand our capacity from one viral lab in UVRI.Right now, as I talk, we have many more labs in the country that are able to diagnose COVID. So, it has been a game changer actually. I study, diagnostic continues a big role in quality of care timeliness, the authenticity, and the quality of the research results make a lot of difference, even we as the clinicians. So we thank CDC for that. By the time COVID came in we took policy decisions as ministry to accredit more laboratories. Because we already had hugged SLMTA,( Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation) we already had SLMTA auditors, who have contributed us in assessing all these laboratories. Ill tell you what. When the results of the assessment was done, because of the SLMTA that they had gone through, they met the requirements for accreditation. They had plans in place, character plans, biosafety is still in place, HR was there, logistics management and this is because these laboratories have now been enrolled on SLMTA.And as we speak now, weve actually decentralized our COVID testing to even to the lower healthcare facility, to the regional referral infirmaries, and this signifies, we have increased access, weve effectively managed the COVID. But this is because we have improved a method through the SLMTA program. And I contemplate had it not been that, we would have lost trust in our results by our stakeholders. We would not have managed to test or increase access. So, we really appreciate that Uganda took up this and it concluded us ready to be able to handle COVID. So we’ve effectively managed COVID because we had a good laboratory plan, that was strengthened by the SLMTA program. Yes ..
