Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Prof. Pontiano Kaleebu, the Director of Uganda Virus Research Institute-UVRI says testing samples for COVID-19 tremendously increased the institution’s publicity. But it was also the most tense phase in memorable history since the institute was established nearly a hundred years ago. UVRI is a national, …
Read More »1,600 volunteers to participate in first HIV vaccine trial
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More than one thousand volunteers have been enrolled to participate in another version of the HIV vaccine trial conducted by Ugandan scientists at the Medical Research Council-MRC. The new HIV vaccine known as “PrEPVacc” is being tested for its efficacy in the prevention of HIV, …
Read More »Uganda Virus Research Institute finds RDTs unfit for COVID-19 testing
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) are not reliable in clinically diagnosing the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) has found. Dr. Pontiano Kaleebu, the Executive Director of UVRI told a meeting of COVID-19 researchers on Wednesday that they have screened more than 20 …
Read More »New study to establish workers perceptions about COVID-19 vaccine
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A total of 800 health workers are being recruited to participate in a COVID-19 vaccine study in which the researchers will access their knowledge about the vaccine. Prof. Pontiano Kaleebu, the Executive Director of Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), the agency conducting the research …
Read More »Health ministry gets greenlight for COVID-19 antigen tests
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda is set to start using the Rapid Antigen Detection Test (RADT) for COVID-19, according to the Uganda Virus Research Institute-UVRI. The test was given emergency use status by the World Health Organisation last month. The test is a rapid point-of-care swab test that directly …
Read More »UVRI, national lab explain fake COVID-19 results
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Amidst complaints about discrepancies in the coronavirus (COVID-19) results offered at different accredited laboratories, the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) that supervises accredited labs in the country now requires any person that tests positive but with a low viral load to do a …
Read More »UVRI accredited among COVID-19 reference laboratories in Africa
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) has been accredited by the World Health Organization-WHO as one of the COVID-19 reference laboratories in Africa. The laboratory which is spearheading COVID-19 testing in the country is one of eight laboratories that were accredited as reference laboratories …
Read More »Kitgum district COVID-19 taskforce protests delayed release of test results
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Kitgum district COVID-19 taskforce is protesting the delayed issuance and missing test results from samples taken from some suspected cases and their contacts. The LC V chairperson, Jackson Omona who co-chairs the district COVID-19 taskforce says despite adhering to the stipulated standard operating …
Read More »Kitgum district taskforce baffled over delayed COVID-19 test results
Kitgum, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kitgum district COVID-19 taskforce is dismayed over the delay in release of COVID-19 test results. The Kitgum District Health Officer Dr. Alex Olwedo made the disclosure on Friday evening while releasing routine COVID-19 test sample results that were taken from contacts and suspects three …
Read More »Experts explain discrepancies in COVID-19 laboratory tests
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | As investigations into negative COVID-19 cases that are wrongly declared positive take route in different countries including neighboring Kenya, experts in Uganda say that wrong results shouldn’t be a cause for alarm. Speaking to URN on Thursday, Dr. Stephen Kiyimba, a microbiologist and executive …
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