Strengthening district laboratory systems: Scaling up the response for the COVID-19 outbreak in Ug
Center for Rapid Evidence Synthesis (ACRES)DRRES-50
This Rapid Response should be cited as
ACRES (2020) Strengthening district laboratory systems: Scaling up the response for the COVID-19 outbreak in Uganda; A Rapid Response Brief. Kampala: The Center For Rapid Evidence Synthesis
Summary
Background: Probable cases of Covid-19 within districts must be referred to designated facilities to collect samples amidst an on-going country wide lockdown. This is increasingly becoming a challenge with turnaround times of at least five days. Findings: To strengthen national laboratory systems, nations should mobilise resources, review the national laboratory policy, conduct a risk assessment of existing infrastructure, assess and strengthen specimen transportation networks, and build capacity of all personnel in biosafety. Conclusion: Governments need to scale up testing and identification of probable cases of Covid-19 by mobilising resources, reviewing national policies, and taking advantage of innovative diagnostics.