The Uganda integrated national laboratory sample transport system under the stewardship of the Uganda National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services (NHLDS) was started in 2013 to transport HIV Early Infant Diagnosis samples and viral load samples to monitor response to Antiretroviral Therapy. The system enhanced timely sample receipt at the testing laboratory and return of test results for patient management across Uganda.
Over time, the system was expanded to transport all samples types including samples for public health emergencies, an achievement that has contributed to Uganda’s good track record of responding to high profile outbreaks such as Ebola disease and Marburg among others.
Based on the highlighted achievements, the MoH of Cote d’Ivoire with support from US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other partners visited the Uganda National Institute of Public Health (UNIPH) to benchmark the role of the laboratory in epidemic preparedness, response, and recovery among other things.