Health
Ministry of Health Reduces COVID-19 test costs to UGX 185,000
Ministry of Health has reduced to US$50 (UGX185,000) the fee for a single COVID-19 test.
In a letter dated 27th August 2020, the permanent secretary announced that a cost recovery fee of US$65 (240,500) was to be paid by individuals and institutions that needed a COVID-19 test.
However, the PS Dr. Diana Atwiine says the fee has been revised to US$50 following a reduction in cost of transporting laboratory testing kits and other supplies from the point of manufacture to the country, thanks to resumption of international flights.
“It is upon his background that the Ministry of Health has reduced the cost of COVID-19 testing from US$65 to US$50 for people seeking testing services in Government Laboratories including truck drivers at the different points of entry; individuals seeking to know their COVID-19 status, people seeking COVID-19 certificates for international travel; organizations both government and private that wish to test their staff for purpose of prevention; Ugandans and visitors from abroad without negative COVID-19 certificates” Dr. Atwiine says.
She however explains that Government will continue offering free testing services to patients who present to health facilities with COVID-19 symptoms, contacts of people who have already tested positive, community surveys to establish the extent of spread of the virus, surveillance samples and frontline health workers.
