Truck drivers want Covid testing fees harmonised
Testing. Truck drivers from Kenya line up to be tested for Covid-19 at the Busia border post before proceeding into Uganda on May 20. Authorities in Uganda re-imposed a mandatory Covid-19 testing for all travellers in an attempt to contain a resurgent Covid-19 pandemic. PHOTO BY DAVID AWORI
What you need to know:
- A Kenyan national cargo truck driver, Mr Asuman Musa, on Wednesday told the media at Katuna border post that he paid $5 (Shs18,000) for Covid-19 tests at Gatuna on the Rwandan side and when he crossed to Katuna he was asked to pay $30 (108,000)
A section of truck drivers that use the newly-opened Gatuna/Katuna border posts have called for harmonisation of costs for Covid-19 tests.
A Kenyan national cargo truck driver, Mr Asuman Musa, on Wednesday told the media at Katuna border post that he paid $5 (Shs18,000) for Covid-19 tests at Gatuna on the Rwandan side and when he crossed to Katuna he was asked to pay $30 (108,000)
“There is need to harmonise the cost of Covid-19 tests at Katuna/Gatuna border for the good of all truck drivers and their turn men. The fact that Uganda and Rwanda are in the East African Community, they should charge the same amount of money for Covid-19 tests,” Mr Musa said, although he did not provide evidence of payment for the Covid-19 tests on the Gatuna border post.
But Mr Kyeyune Muyanja, also a truck driver, said he was charged Shs100,000 to conduct a Covid-19 test at Katuna and later presented the test result document on Rwandan side where he was not charged.
“I just showed them my Covid-19 test result document from Uganda and they cleared me to proceed to Kigali with my cargo,” Mr Kyeyune said.
Official explains
The operations manager for MAIA Medical Laboratory, a company that has been mandated by the Ministry of Health to provide Covid-19 testing services at Katuna, Mr Peter Nkore, said all travellers with the valid PCR Covid-19 test result document are cleared to enter Uganda or cross to Rwanda but those with RDT Covid-19 test results are the ones that pay Shs100,000 for PCR testing.
Mr Cleophas Mapesa, Mr Alex Mpakaniye, and Mr Harrison Wambuwa, all cargo truck drivers that were returning from Rwanda on Wednesday, confirmed that they were not subjected to Covid-19 tests at Katuna because they presented valid PCR Covid-19 test result documents.
“ I presented my PCR Covid-19 test result document that I received on January 30 as I entered Uganda from Kenya through Busia border to both customs and immigration officers at Gatuna in Rwanda and Katuna in Uganda and I was allowed to cross without paying any extra Covid-19 testing fee,” Mr Alex Mpakaniye said.
The officer-in-charge of MAIA medical Laboratories at Katuna border post, Mr Bright Atwebembere, said they have conducted PCR tests on about 35 people since Monday of which one Rwandan and one Ugandan tested positive before they were advised on how to manage their cases.
