Ministry of health burns use of RTDs for testing Ebola
The ministry also emphasized that Ebola testing and patient management are restricted to designated government facilities due to the high risk posed by the highly infectious virus with a high death rate.
The Ministry of Health has strongly warned against the continued use of unauthorized Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) which are circulating on the market and already in use by some private health facilities.
According to a statement released by the ministry earlier today, the practice of using RTD tests during the testing of Ebola is illegal and dangerous since it exposes the general public and health workers to risks of infection.
The ministry added that the world health organization has never approved the use of RTDs for confirmation of Ebola disease, reemphasizing that PCR tests are the only ones recognized during the testing of the deadly disease.
“PCR is the only authorized testing method and is being done in government laboratories free of charge at Uganda virus research institute (UVRI), and the central public health laboratories (CPHL) mobile lab in Mubende regional referral hospital,” the statement read.
The ministry also emphasized that Ebola testing and patient management are restricted to designated government facilities due to the high risk posed by the highly infectious virus with a high death rate.
To date, the country has so far registered 132 Ebola cases, 51 deaths and 61 recoveries.
