The Government has rolled out the first rapid tests for COVID-19 in 30 selected districts countrywide.

This is aimed at helping the Government ascertain the efficiency and accuracy of the Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) in picking the virus.

Dr Charles Olaro, the director of clinical services at the health ministry, said results from the tests will help the Government decide whether to continue using the expensive Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests or the inexpensive RDTs.

“The initial tests were only the PCR and still remains so, but the world has had a lot of innovations and one of the discoveries is that you cannot sustain the response using real-time PCR because it is very expensive. Also, the capacity which is needed is quite robust,” Olaro said.

He said it is because of this that there are not many testing laboratories for COVID-19 in the country. Therefore, once RDTs are found to be accurate in the field, they will replace the PCRs.

RDTs are also quick and easy to perform.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Judith Nabakooba, during a press briefing at the ministry, said the Government started rolling out the tests on Wednesday.

“In a phased approach, Uganda will roll out the use of RDTs in 30 districts, covering 105 health facilities,” she said.

The districts include Wakiso, Gulu, Pader, Arua, Adjumani, Obongi, Moyo, Kitgum, Lamwo, Hoima, Kiryandongo, Masaka, Kyotera, Buikwe, Jinja, Soroti, Lira, Manafwa, Namisindwa, Tororo, Busia, Mbale, Kapchorwa, Mbarara, Kabale, Kasese, Kabarole, Moroto, Mubende and Luweero.

Olaro said the districts were chosen based on the infection attack rate. The World Health Organisation defines attack rate as the proportion of those who become ill after exposure to infection. This is calculated by looking at the number of COVID-19 cases in a district per its total population.

He said the attack rate was calculated as per the results of COVID-19 cases recorded by November last year.

Olaro said the RDTs have been evaluated in the laboratory and have been found to be effective.

So, the field test is to confirm that they are indeed as effective in the field as in the labs.

“After that, we can officially make a decision that we do not need anymore PCRs,” he said.

Olaro said if the results from the 30 districts turn out positive, they will roll out the use of RDTs countrywide.

Currently, he said, all positive COVID-19 tests from the 30 districts will be subjected to another confirmatory test using the PCR before being recorded.

Olaro said the tests will be conducted on people who will report to the hospital with signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

Though Uganda has been using RDTs in testing for diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, this is the first time they are being used to test for COVID-19.

The least expensive PCR test costs $18.9 (sh69,148) per kit, while the least expensive RDT is $5 (sh18,293) per kit.