By Patrick Jaramogi
UGANDA is set to stop the importation of test kits following the establishment of a test kit plant in Uganda. The sh1.6b test kit laboratory, owned by Astel Diagnostic, has already started production at Uganda Manufacturers Association show grounds in Kampala.
Vincent Nantulya, the chief executive officer, said the one-year-old plant can produce at least 40,000 test kits each day.
“Our day shift can produce at least 20,000 kits from 8am to 5pm, while the night shift can also produce the same number,” he told the press at Speke Hotel in Kampala recently.
Uganda needs at least 30 millions test kits each year.
Nantulya, a renowned scientist who has worked in the US for over 40 years, said the plant is the first of its kind in sub-saharan African.
“Apart from South Africa, Uganda will be the only country in Africa making test kits. We shall even export to Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and Southern Sudan depending on demand,” he said.
National Medical Stores and Mulago national referral hospital have already pre-qualified the centre to supply test kits in the country.
He said the centre has over 300,000 pregnancy test kits, over 100,000 test kits for syphilis and 200,000 test kits for malaria. According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, the Government has been spending over sh3b on the importation of testing kits.
The Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) last week awarded the Astel Diagnostic centre an award in the best upcoming small scale industry category. President Yoweri Museveni is expected to inaugurate the laboratory next month.
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