Uganda stops holding international travellers over Covid testing

 

Nurse examines a client: Photo taken in November 2021 in Kampala by Tonny Abet

Uganda stops holding international travellers over Covid testing 

BY TONNY ABET

The Director General of Health Services, Dr Henry Mwebesa, has written to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), requesting that effective today, in-bound travellers should be allowed to go home after taking their samples.

Previously, travellers entering the country through Entebbe International Airport were being asked to wait for their results at the airport but issues of long waiting hours had been raised by travellers.

“The Ministry of Health on advice from Scientists, has resolved that all arriving passengers at Entebbe International Airport will have their samples for Covid-19 taken and there after they will be allowed to proceed home or to their hotels for self-isolation until they receive their results,” the letter by Dr Mwebesa dated November 4th reads in part.

He continued: “The test results will be sent to their phones or emails. This change takes effect on 5th November, 2021. This is to request you to commensurate this to all airlines.”

Dr Jane Aceng, the Health minister, told MPs on Wednesday that the move will minimize inconveniences resulting from delays in sample collection and dispatch of results.

“Travellers will be required to provide adequate information for easy traceability,” she said.

“Our airport is very small, there is no space and we are trying to do everything in that small space. We are hoping that when internet services improve and people apply online, it will take a shorter time,” Aceng said.

The Minister said that the ministry will strengthen the surveillance system and follow-up all the identified positive cases. But some experts have since the outbreak of the pandemic last year, said the Ministry’s surveillance system is not efficient.  

The government said it introduced the mandatory testing to curb the importation and spread of deadly variants of the coronavirus that has so far killed over 3000 Ugandans and infected more than 120,000. 

Keywords: Covid, Uganda, airport, Entebbe, testing, Kampala, travellers, tourism, flight