Uganda‘s health authorities have said that travellers entering the country will no longer be need to conduct Covid-19 border tests provided they are completely vaccinated.
Private laboratories conducting the tests at various points of entry have also been told to quit the premises by the government.
Dr Henry Mwebesa, the director-general of Health Services at the Ministry of Health, issued the directions in a letter dated March 28. District health officers in border districts like Busia, Tororo, Kasese, Kabale, and Ntungamo will receive it.
“Covid-19 results are currently not required for fully vaccinated travellers, including truck drivers, to cross the land border of entry. This is, therefore, to request all private labs to exit border points of entry premises immediately as it is no longer necessary to conduct any Covid-19 tests at the border points,” Dr Mwebesa wrote.
The aim, he added, is to guarantee that Kampala follows the mandate issued by the East African Community Council of Ministers for the January meeting, in which it was resolved to relax inter-country pandemic restrictions in order to speed up regional economic recovery.
A high management meeting between the ministry and its partners had resolved that a negative PCR test done within 72 hours remains a requirement for all travellers at the Entebbe International Airport, according to a notice to the public dated March 29.