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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health has commenced construction of a Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) laboratory at Lira Regional Referral Hospital (LRRH) under the Uganda COVID-19 Response and Preparedness Project (UCREPP). The facility is set to improve clinical research at the hospital and will cost 3.9 billion Uganda shillings.
Techno Three Limited, a Ugandan-based company, has been awarded the contract, which is expected to take 15 months to complete. Laboratory equipment worth 700 million Uganda shillings will be installed upon completion to operationalize the lab.
The BSL-2 lab will complement the already existing microbiology laboratory which is currently offering liver and renal function tests, prostate surface antigen, hematology, thyroid function tests, histopathology, and other specialized tests. Additionally, the lab will have training rooms for laboratory personnel and other cadres in advanced technologies.
Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, the Health Minister and Lira City Woman MP, presided over the ground-breaking ceremony and emphasized the need for the hospital to have enough land for expansion and the installation of other modern facilities. She also warned the community against encroaching on the hospital’s land.
The hospital is set to evict over 20 households occupying plots 9 to 19, 21 to 41 Military Road, and plots 6 to 14 on Agoro Road in Teso ‘A’ Ward Lira City West Division, which the hospital claims ownership over.
Dr. Charles Olaro, the Director of Curative Services at the Ministry of Health, explained that the laboratory is significant in managing outbreaks and emergencies, which is why the Ministry is decentralizing laboratory services in various areas.
Patricia Akello Anok, a Laboratory Scientist at the Ministry of Health, believes that the satellite laboratory will improve the functionality of the laboratory by over 30% through improved testing of patients.
Upon completion, the laboratory will be able to handle outbreaks and emergencies and collect samples to be referred to the National reference lab at Butabika, UVRI Entebbe, and other reference labs in the country.
Dr. Nathan Onyach, the Hospital’s Director, is optimistic that the construction of the laboratory will significantly enhance research capabilities at the hospital.
The BSL-2 laboratory at Lira Regional Referral Hospital will be the fourth satellite laboratory in the country, with the other three located in Arua, Mbale, and Mbarara.
Together with @HonAnifaKawooya, we officiated the groundbreaking ceremony to have a Biosafety Level II laboratory constructed at Lira Regional Referral Hospital. This lab will improve detection & analysis of disease outbreaks, improve specimen safety,better waste solid management pic.twitter.com/PrJgxwZ54u
— Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero (@JaneRuth_Aceng) April 6, 2023
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