Health Ministry warns private facilities against using RDT for Ebola test

By Olivia Nabaggala

7^th Nov 2022

The Ministry of Health has cautioned the public against the use of Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT) in testing for the Ebola virus, saying that the practice is illegal and puts health workers at risk of infection. 

Dr. Henry Mwebesa, the Director General of Health Services says they received an alert that several private health facilities are testing people using RDTs yet these are not authorized for confirmation of Ebola.

Mwebesa says that currently all Ebola testing is done exclusively by the Government through the Uganda Virus Research Institute and the Central Public Health Laboratory in Butabika at no cost.

At the moment, the facilities are supplemented by a mobile laboratory which is stationed at Mubende Regional Referral Hospital, the epicenter of the latest Ebola outbreak.

Meanwhile, Grace Kiwanuka, the Executive Director of the Uganda Healthcare Federation, the umbrella body for private health providers, said they have been urging members to follow the guidelines set by the Government to handle the Ebola response.

By Monday, 51 people had succumbed to the disease in an outbreak that was confirmed on September 20.

A total of 132 people have been infected whereby 61 have since recovered.