Anxious Ugandans seek personal coronavirus tests

Following continued entry of travellers from countries affected by coronavirus and reported violations of government screening at Entebbe airport and self-quarantine, a number of people are taking personal initiatives to get tested.

Ms Shebah Ntambiye, a Kampala dweller, said after developing symptoms similar to those of coronavirus, she wanted to do a test.
Unsure of what to do or where to go, Ms Ntambiye asked her friends on social media.

“Where can someone test for coronavirus in Uganda? My throat won’t stop itching. It is a kind I never had before,” she tweeted on Friday.
One of her followers responded: “Go to Norvik or IHK (International Hospital Kampala).”

Ms Ntambiye is one of the Ugandans seeking coronavirus testing centres but is stranded as government remains unclear on where non-travellers can test from.

Prof Pontiano Kaleebu, the director of Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), the only institution doing the testing in the country, said public testing for CONVID-19 is not yet in place.

“It is not that if you have cough, fever or flu somewhere in the village, you qualify for the test. If you are coming from countries where the cases are high and you have signs such as fever, flu and cough, then you raise high suspicion,” Prof Kaleebu said.

“You must have travelled from such a country [with many cases of COVID-19] and or those who have been in close contact with the people under suspicion,” he added.

Prof Kaleebu, however, said when a case is detected within the country to signal that transmission is happening, the test will be brought to people like Ms Ntambiye.

According to Dr Julius Lutwama, the deputy director of UVRI, anyone who feels worried and wishes to get the test can reach the nearest health facility for help. “If a person is sick in the community, they should go to nearby health centre. From there, the medical experts will assess them,” Dr Lutwama said.

He added that upon the assessment, if the person fulfils the case definition of Convid19, a surveillance team will be invited and the patient information will be sent to the incidence commander at Ministry of Health.

Dr Lutwama said the incidence commander will then ask that person be quarantined and samples will be taken and brought to UVRI.

“We shall do the test here and send the results to the ministry that will in turn disseminate the results. If the result is positive, it will be made public but for negative results, it will be told to the patient,” he said.

Dr Lutwama said the type of sample taken depends on the state of the patient.
“The sample can be mouth or nose swabs as coronavirus is a respiratory disease. A blood sample may also be taken,” he said.

A swab is an adsorbent material (cotton) used to take specimens from body parts for laboratory or other medical examination.

The screening expert said the test takes only three hours and the results are released, adding that the machine is efficient in that it can do up to 700 tests at ago.

Why the test is only at UVRI
The test cannot be rolled out everywhere because the machine is very expensive.

“This machine we are using is $30,000 (Shs120m) and imagine if it was to be availed to all health centres, it is not practical,” Dr Lutwama said.
Mr Kenneth Bainomugisha, the station manager at Entebbe airport, said coronavirus has spread widely due to aviation.

“We are reinforcing the existing public health officers at point of entry. They have been beefed up by Ministry of Health and partners to ensure all passengers entering through the airport undergo proper screening,” he said.
Mr Bainomugisha said the high risk passengers are advised to undergo isolation and self-quarantine as prescribed by the ministry.

He said Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) was coordinating with all the airlines coming to Entebbe, giving them advisories from Ministry of Health to boost prevention.

“All passengers go through the same process of screening. And this has helped in detection. That is why we are still safe as a country,” Mr Bainomugisha said.
He said some countries have closed their air spaces and the number of passengers and volume of cargo reaching Entebbe airport is dwindling.

“With more countries added on the list of high risk countries, we see the number of arrivals dwindling significantly,” Mr Bainomugisha said.

“We have not yet had complete suspension of any airline coming to Entebbe International Airport,” he added.
He, however, said some airlines like United Emirates have reduced their flights by 14 planes and Qatar Airways has reduced by one.

“Kuwait has closed its international airport,” Mr Bainomugisha said.

GOVERNMENT STEPS UP SCREENING

Dr Henry Mwebesa, the Director General of Health Services at the ministry of Health, said government is strengthening screening at Entebbe airport and focusing on other borders.

Dr Mwebesa said the ministry has learnt that some people are sneaking into Uganda. “Some people are now coming by Kenya Airways, they get to Nairobi and come by road entering the country through Busia and Malaba, claiming they were in Nairobi,” he said.

“If you arrived in Nairobi two weeks ago, we shall be okay with you. But if you came from China three days ago, we shall quarantine you. We have put our security to ensure no one gets into the country through those entry points,” Dr Mwebesa said. He said the ministry has installed screening at Busia, Malaba, Elegu and Kyanika border points. He, however, admitted there are still some loopholes in the screening processes.

“I know someone (Kilak North MP Anthony Akol) was in Parliament last week and he claimed he was not screened. The Speaker advised him to isolate himself. He must have bulldozed our girls [at airport] and managed to pass through. I advised the girls serving at the airport to ensure that everyone is screened,” Dr Mwebesa said.

“No one is too big not to be screened. We have screening at the general arrivals, VIP and VVIP where the presidents arrive. So even if it a president arriving, he will be screened. We have enforcement to ensure everyone is screened,” he added. Dr Mwebesa said the ministry has optimised the capacity of field experts to follow up on the disease.

“We have epidemiologists who follow up people under quarantine regularly either by phone call or directly for those who are in Kampala,” he said. “If you are in Kapchorwa, we alert the district health officers to follow up those isolated upcountry and we follow it up daily,” he added.

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