Nebbi runs out of COVID-19 testing kits

Sep 16, 2020

They have written to the Ministry of Health, but they are to yet get feedback

Nebbi district has reportedly run out of coronavirus (COVID-19) sample-collecting kits, paralysing collection of samples from truck drivers and direct contacts at the quarantine centre.

According to COVID-19 protocol, contacts must have their samples collected on the first day of admission at the quarantine centres. But medical sources in the district said some of the contacts have spent six days without their samples being collected, due to lack of kits.

"We have run out of kits for collecting samples. In fact, we tried sourcing from another district, but they, too, can't help us. I want to believe it's a general problem," a source said.

The source added that they have written to the Ministry of Health, but they are to yet get feedback. Bishop Dralega, the Arua District Health Officer, said: "We have run out of the kits. We have only 26 left for this week, and that has been rationalised for our patients at the treatment centre."

Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the health ministry spokesperson, said sample-collecting kits are available at the ministry.

He added that chances are that districts without sample collecting kits may not have placed their requests in time and that he was going to consult the responsible people, to find out what could have happened.

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