The government is going to start charging people and organisations to be tested for COVID-19 effective September 1, 2020.
According to the health ministry, truck drivers, people in need of knowing their COVID-19 status, government and public organisations, Ugandans returning from abroad, visitors from other countries will all be mandated to pay a fee of 240,500 Shillings for tests to be carried out.
The move is aimed at reducing the high cost that the government is incurring to carry out testing for various groups, according to a statement issued by the health ministry.
Geoffrey Seremba, the undersecretary at the Ministry of Health says that the fees being collected will enable the ministry to carry out more testing for the disease.
The Ministry adds that those who want to go to private testing laboratories can also access the test at Lancet, MBN or Medipal International Hospital at an average fee of 300,000 Shillings.
The changes come at a time when the country is experiencing a daily increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.
According to the health ministry, 4000 tests equivalent to 962 million Shillings are carried out every day. As of yesterday, Uganda had tested over 366,000 cases of COVID-19.
