By Stuart Bogere

KIU, Main Campus - United States, through U.S. Department of Defense and Defense Threat Reduction Agency, has supported Uganda’s efforts to combat COVID-19 through the donation of critical COVID-19 testing reagents and personal protective equipment valued at $1.87 million.  

The first tranche of supplies in this donation were delivered to the Ministry of Health- Uganda. Additional supplies through this donation will be delivered over the next two months. 

Christopher M. Krafft, U.S. Embassy Kampala's Deputy Chief of Mission, said, "We will continue to work hand-in-hand with our Ugandan partners, and together, we will overcome this pandemic." 

The $1.87 million of supplies include testing materials to test approximately 50,000 COVID-19 samples. In addition, the donation includes personal protective equipment (PPE) like N95 masks, gloves, surgical gowns, and face shields.

These contributions will be used to support deployment of a Ministry of Health mobile lab that will bring assistance to Ugandans who live far from health facilities that have COVID-19 testing capabilities. 

The mobile lab will be jointly staffed by the Uganda Virus Research Institute, a longstanding partner of U.S. Government agencies like the CDC, USAID, DTA, WRAIR, and U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through training, mentorship, laboratory upgrades, equipment procurement, and research collaboration for more than three decades.