When Annet Kemigisa reached the landing at the COVID-19 clinic at Mulago Hospital in March this year, she was surprised. 

In 2021, when the young woman had last visited the clinic to test for the coronavirus, the entire facility was jammed. Now, it was empty, almost deserted. 

“People no longer come to test for COVID-19,” the receptionist said, ushering Kemigisa to the laboratory. 

Ministry of Health records show the COVID-19 clinic at Mulago isn’t the only one in the country that’s now deserted.

They show only about 4,000 Ugandans visit health facilities per week today to test for the disease that’s killed 3,632 people in the country in the last two years. 

Overall, records show that 3.5 million Ugandans have tested for COVID-19, with 258,699 testing positive. 

“These figures are too low,” said Charles Matovu, community empowerment coordinator at the coalition for health promotion and social development (HEPS-Uganda) that’s been advocating for COVID-19 testing in the country. 

“They are far from the UN’s target of 100 tests per 100,000 population a day,” he said. 

Matovu called Ugandans to test for the virus and the ministry of health and partners to strengthen COVID-19 test and treat interventions. 

As in much of Africa, COVID-19 disrupted heath systems in Uganda. 

The east African country lacked treatments, test kits and other commodities to manage overwhelming numbers of the sick. 

But, increasingly, demand for COVID-19 tests and treatments has slowed.  

People aren’t testing, let alone treating for COVID-19 because they aren’t seeing (or hearing about people) who have died of the disease, said Matovu.  

A survey by the coalition for health promotion and social development shows four in 10 Ugandans think testing for the virus isn’t necessary because COVID-19 isn’t a threat anymore. 

It also shows five in 10 Ugandans aren’t testing for the virus because the procedure can be “irritating” and health workers took forever to return results. 

“It’s not just testing, people have abandoned many of the standard operating procedures the health ministry recommended to prevent spread of the virus,” said Matovu. 

“They don’t wear masks anymore, wash hands or social distance. It’s become business as usual,” he said. 

But experts have warned it’s a bad idea to become complacent in the fight against COVID-19 just yet. 

“We can’t – and shouldn’t – abandon these SOPs and test and treat interventions against COVID-19,” said Dr Daniel Kyabayinze, director of public health at the Ministry of Health. “It could reverse the gains we have made in the fight against the virus.” 

“The World Health Organisation and ministry of health haven’t told us that this pandemic is over, why are we assuming? 

“As we have seen in China and recently in India (where COVID-19 is ravaging health systems) this pandemic is still with us,” he said.
 
“It has shown that it can mutate and bounce back. So, we are calling every individual to test for COVID-19 and seek treatment if positive.”

“We don’t want to have a situation like the one we had when the Delta variant ravaged our health systems,” he said.  

Kyabayinze said testing can enable health workers to identify infected individuals and isolate them to prevent further person-to-person transmission of the virus. 
 
Ministry of health records show that about 61 persons tested positive for COVID-19 last month. These cases could be more only that we don’t know because people aren’t testing, said Kyabayinze.  

“We have all these cases of flu (in our communities), but we can’t tell if its COVID-19 because people aren’t testing,” he said

It is important that people test for the virus because this enables health workers to start confirmed cases on treatment immediately. 

Kyabayinze called people to test for COVID-19 when they present signs such as fever, cough, sore throat and difficulty breathing. 
  
“Sure, COVID-19 tests can be uncomfortable (when a health worker is drawing a sample via a nose or throat swab) but this is negligible compared with the gains,” he said.  

The WHO recommends that individuals suspected of being infected with COVID-19 test for the virus to stop its spread. 

It says people should also test for the virus when they have been in close contact with individuals suspected (or confirmed to have COVID-19) or they have recently travelled to an area where transmissions are high. 

Free Services 

Emmanuel Ainebyoona, senior Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Health said testing for COVID-19 was free in all public health facilities in Uganda. 

“We have three tests for COVID-19. Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs), PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and GeneXpert,” he said.  

“All laboratories in Uganda can offer simple RDTs,” said Ainebyoona. “Health Centre IVs and above can offer PCR tests which are more reliable. Health workers can also use GeneXpert tests to confirm positive cases.” 

While RDTs can give results instantly, other tests can take up to four hours, he said. 
 
Many people test for the COVID-19 when they want to travel abroad, but we want them to make testing routine behavior, said Dr Noah Luwalaga, Kiboga district surveillance officer. 

“When you have any of these flu symptoms, we are asking you to go test for COVID-19,” he said. “If you are negative, health workers will rule out COVID-19 and test you for other infections. If positive, you are started on treatment.” 

“We now have options that can prevent hospitalizations and deaths for those at high risk of developing critical COVID-19,” said Luwalaga. “Testing is the first step of knowing who is positive so we can start them on treatment.” 

“Testing can help prevent severe disease and death,” he said. “It can also help to prevent the next pandemic.”