UPDF launches first infectious disease surveillance laboratory

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has launched its first-ever infectious disease surveillance laboratory in Uganda which is also the first of its kind among the armed forces in the East African region.

According to a press statement from UPDF, the surveillance biosafety level 2-plus laboratory located in Mbuya is UPDF’s strategic asset with an enshrined role of force health protection where the known and anticipated threats and hazards of the troops must be known and mitigated.

The Public Health laboratory, which uses molecular and immunological platforms will receive and analyze samples from over twenty sentinel sites in Uganda, and other areas where the army has troops like Somalia, Equatoria Guinea, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Lieutenant General Sam Okiding, the Deputy Chief of Defence Forces commissioned the laboratory on behalf of Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF). Okiding said the laboratory is part of the wide network of sentinel surveillance for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases that include viruses that are highly infectious like Ebola, Marburg, Yellow Fever, and Dengue among others.

He added that the bio threats stretch beyond infectious diseases and that they are committed to investing in this area to protect, perverse the forces, and also protect the country from bio-threats.

Meanwhile the Commissioner of Surveillance at the Ministry of Health, Dr Allan Muruta welcomed the collaboration and committed to supporting UPDF in all areas of healthcare delivery and global health.

Written by Barbra Anyait