Govt stays PCR Covid testing at Entebbe airport
A health worker takes a sample from a truck driver in Busia for Covid testing.. PHOTO | FILE | NMG
What you need to know:
- Dr Henry Mwebesa, the director general of Health Services at the ministry, said in a March 29 letter addressed to the airport manager that the decision to maintain restrictions was made following a high-level meeting.
The Ministry of Health’s orders to maintain the Covid-19 restrictions for departing and arriving travellers at Entebbe International Airport even as the aviation industry and the economy struggle to recover from Covid-19 impacts, have triggered disagreements from different sectors.
Every passenger, including those who are fully vaccinated will still be required to present negative PCR Covid-19 test results taken within 72 hours while entering or leaving through Entebbe airport.
This comes after the government phased out such requirements for travellers from East African Community (EAC) states entering Uganda through land borders and some foreign countries have eased the restriction for air passengers.
Dr Henry Mwebesa, the director general of Health Services at the ministry, said in a March 29 letter addressed to the airport manager that the decision to maintain restrictions was made following a high-level meeting.
Dr Mwebesa issued the seemingly conflicting directive a day after he announced that “Covid-19 results are currently not required for fully vaccinated travellers, including truck drivers to cross the land border of entry.”
“A meeting of the Ministry of Health top management and development partners met today (March 29) [and] resolved that a negative PCR Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours is still a requirement for both departing and arriving travellers at Entebbe International Airport,” he stated.
He added: “The purpose of this letter is to communicate to you this position and to request you to continue implementing the requirement at the airport.”
Dr Mwebesa said removing the restriction on the EAC travellers is aimed at ensuring that Uganda complies with the EAC sectoral council of ministers’ directive for the meeting held in January where countries agreed to ease inter-country Covid-19 restrictions to guarantee economic recovery.
Asked yesterday whether it is only people who fly in by plane transmitting Covid-19, Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the Ministry of Health spokesperson, said: “We shall review and communicate because countries are phasing off these requirements one by one. We will consider it and communicate, but for now the status quo still remains.”
Dr Daniel Kyabayinze, the director of public health at the ministry, told this publication that they are getting concerned as the number of new Covid-19 cases rise in foreign countries.
“If you see what is happening in China, the United States and other countries, they have gone into another wave. And we have been seeing that once they have gone into another wave it only takes us another two months before ours pick up,” he said.
However, Mr Vianney Lugya, the Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson, said they are still struggling to recover from Covid-induced reduction in the number of travellers.
“Before Covid-19, in 2019, we had an average of 5,000 passengers per day. But during Covid-19 in 2020, the average number per day reduced to 1,500 and then in 2021, it increased to 2,500 per day. When it came to January 2022, it increased to 3,500 and in February, we saw a slight increase to 3,600 passengers per day,” he said.
At one of the accredited testing centres, Test and Fly, the customer care officer said passengers are paying between Shs300,000 and Shs150,000 for PCR test depending on how soon the client needs the results.
This means the 3,600 passengers handled daily at the airport spend around Shs1.1b on tests if they settle for quick results or Shs540m if they are willing to wait a little longer for their results.
This is under the assumption that all testing labs are charging around the same amount.
Mr Lugya said some countries have also eased the requirement of presenting a negative PCR Covid-19 test for those who are vaccinated, a step he said is important in recovery.
“Whenever restrictions are eased, it becomes easier for passengers. But if someone has the purpose for travel, even if there is a requirement to test, they will still go ahead and undertake it. Some countries still have the requirement and others have removed it,” he said.
Mr Lugya added: “Every state undertakes measures that are deemed necessary to safeguard its population.”
Covid testing timeline
October 22, 2021
President Museveni commissioned the government Covid-19 testing laboratories at Entebbe airport and asked them to start testing with immediate effect to curb importation of new variants and curb Covid-19 spread. “These people [who are coordinating Covid-19 testing] told me they needed a few days to construct a canopy as well, I have no problem with it, but I asked them to start the process of testing that very moment. The rest can come while testing is going on,” he said.
February 16, 2022
Dr Henry Mwebesa, director general of health services, wrote: “The Ministry of Health would like to inform the public that the mandatory Covid-19 testing of all incoming travellers at Entebbe International Airport upon arrival has been stopped from today, February 16. The requirement for Covid-19 testing 72 hours before boarding for both incoming and exiting travellers remains in effect. Our health workers will continue to screen all travellers both at arrival and departure and verify their Covid-19 test certificates.”
March 28: Dr Henry Mwebesa wrote: “Uganda will recognise Covid-19 PCR results from the East African Community (EAC) accredited laboratories that were jointly accredited by EAC for Covid-19 testing. Travellers should come with Covid-19 results taken within 72 hours. Covid-19 results are currently not required for fully vaccinated travellers including truck drivers to cross the land border of entry. This is, therefore, to request all private labs to exit border points of entry premises immediately as it is no longer necessary to conduct any covid-19 tests at land border points of entry.”
March 29
Dr Henry Mwebesa wrote: “A meeting of the Ministry of Health top management and development partners met today March 29 [and] resolved that a negative PCR Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours is still a requirement for both departing and arriving travellers at Entebbe International Airport. The purpose of this letter is to communicate to you this position and to request you to continue implementing the requirement at the airport.”
Players in tourism sector react to Health ministry’s decision
Ms Jean Byamugisha, the executive director of Uganda Hotel Owners Association (UHOA), said: “We need to remember that Uganda doesn’t operate in a silo. We are very grateful for the amazing track record our country has garnered for managing the Covid-19 pandemic. Uganda came out with shining colours.”
She added: “However, now with the full reopening of the economy, we also must relax the requirements and also shine a light on vaccination by giving privilege to all fully vaccinated people both within and without our country. We have advocated for vaccination but it defeats the purpose if both the vaccinated and unvaccinated are treated equally.”
According to Ms Byamugisha, to open the country and economy to the fully vaccinated even within the country is central in regards to the long awaited economic recovery agenda.
“Not only the airport, but restaurants, discotheques, sports stadia… should all be fully open to the fully vaccinated. Those not vaccinated should only be allowed to enter after presenting a PCR certifcate. This I believe will encourage more people to get vaccinated so that they fully participate in all social activities,” she said.
Mr Jackson Sebugwawo from Association of Uganda Tour Operators, said they are shocked that the removal of restrictions on those entering through land borders is not applying to those entering through Entebbe. “We are going to read the letter from the ministry and get back,” he said.
Mr Deo Muhumuza, the director of Eco Tours, said the number of tourists coming into the country is still small but added that the restrictions on travellers entering through Entebbe should be maintained.
“We have not heard people complain about the need to present a certificate of a negative Covid-19 test. China is under lockdown and I think we should be careful,” he said.
Situation in other countries
Tanzania and Kenya don’t require a certificate of a negative Covid-19 test for incoming travellers who are fully vaccinated. But Rwanda and Uganda still require a certificate of a negative Covid-19 test whether a traveller is fully vaccinated or not.
“All passengers arriving in or transiting through Kenya are permitted to enter if the following conditions are met: Must present proof of Covid-19 vaccination. Fully vaccinated passengers are not required to take a PCR test before travelling to Kenya. Vaccination certificate must be uploaded to the Global Haven Website before arrival,” information from the website of Kenyan High Commission in Uganda states.
“A certificate of a negative Covid-19 test is required for all travellers arriving, transiting or departing from Rwanda. The only accepted test is a SARS-Cov 2 Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) performed within 72 hours of departure time. Other tests such as Rapid Diagnostics Test (RDTs) are not accepted,” information from the website of Rwandair states.
“Fully vaccinated passengers are exempt from pre-departure testing requirements. Passengers will be required to present a valid vaccination certificate with a QR code for verification upon arrival. The only acceptable vaccines are those approved by the Ministry of Health of Tanzania and the WHO,” information from https://www.dfa.ie.
