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PRAYER BREAKFAST AND THANKSGIVING

NHLDS Headquarters- 20 Jan 2023

The Minister of State for Health (PHC), Hon. Margaret Muhanga launched the National Laboratory agenda 2023 that proposes for the construction of a state of the art Public Health Emergency Response Laboratory in Butabika.

This was during the annual thanksgiving prayers organized by the Uganda National Health laboratory services/CPHL. The prayers led by Kampala Diocese Bishop Hannington Mutebi were attended by the Deputy Mufti, the Permanent Secretary MoH Dr. Diana Atwine, Nakawa East Member of Parliament Hon. Ronald Balimwezo Nsubuga and the laboratory fraternity in Uganda.

The prayers focused on thanking God for taking the country through the difficult years of the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreak of EBOLA EV. The main celebrant Bishop Nathan Ahimbisibwe commended the leadership of the ministry for the work in containing the viruses.

On 11th January, 2023, Uganda declared the end of the Ebola virus that had spread in Mubende and other central districts. There were 164 cases reported, 55 confirmed deaths and 87 recovered patients.

 

Experts from developed countries are coming to Uganda to understand how we managed COVID-19 to that level that we did not lose many people with a fragile health care system; we lost the least number of people globally. I thank the Laboratory fraternity for taking the bold stand to set up a mobile laboratory in Mubende during the Ebola outbreak, we became the first country to undertake such action towards a dangerous pathogen that saw us contain the virus in just 10 weeks that has taken other countries 2 years to manage. This also shows that CPHL has the capacity to handle after its international accreditation samples we previously took to Atlanta. I therefore urge our Parliamentarians to advocate more funds to the laboratory sector to reduce dependence on donors,” Dr. Diana Atwine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over 4000 blood samples of Ebola suspects were tested at the UNHLS/CPHL, 143 people were confirmed to have Ebola Virus Disease. During the peak of the epidemic, NHLDS/CPHL deployed a mobile Laboratory at the Epicenter in Mubende, the frontline of the outbreak, and this helped not only to reduce the time for testing samples but reducing the result turnaround time from 3 days to 6 hours.

From what we have gone through as a country; covid-19 and Ebola, Dr. Diana Atwine and the minister for Health deserve medals. We give God the glory to the ministry for the great work you have done to save the lives of the people in the world," Bishop Nathan.

 

 

 

Over two (2) million Covid-19 samples were tested between 2020 to date during the pandemic that saw the country experience two lockdowns and a blow to the national economy. The ability to contain and manage the epidemics, PS Dr. Diana Atwine attributes to the leader of the ministry of Health.

The Laboratory services have been on the fore front of early disease detection and surveillance thereby guiding effective responses, minimizing effects and promoting the life, wellbeing and productivity of citizens.

The Minister led the Permanent Secretary and Commissioner then commissioned the Launch of the Laboratory Agenda 2023 and the proposed construction of Public Health Emergency Response Laboratory.


 

 

For more information, follow the link below

Prayer Breakfast and Thanksgiving