Government has grounded two planes with migrant workers after it emerged that most of them had fake COVID19 results.
This website has learnt that after most of the migrant workers were found to be positive prompting the action to ground the planes.
The Health Ministry Permanent Secretary, Dr Diana Atwine, recently issued a directive that all migrant workers be re-tested by the Ministry after an investigation revealed that most were being given fake results by the companies taking them abroad.
Most workers were found positive after initially testing and presenting negative results.
Uganda Virus Research Institute and Central Public Health Laboratories, carried out the tests.
Sources say most of the results the companies presented were forgeries.
The sources add that it could be the reason why countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, issued red notices for travellers from Uganda.
Last week, Atwine said the ministry will start re-testing all labour export workers a day before they depart the country. She said the measures would take effect on July 11.
“With effect from Sunday 1 I th July, 2021 at 12,00 a.m – midnight, the Ministry of Health will retest the high-risk group of migrant workers, 24 hours before their flights. This will be done at a free cost under a Government of Uganda laboratory arrangement,” a statement issued by Dr Atwine last week says.
It adds, “As a key requirement, all the migrant workers who intend to leave the country must present a negative PCR result from a private accredited laboratory of their own choice done within 72 hours. The Ministry of health will conduct a free confirmatory test for these travelers 24 hours before their flights. These measures are arising out of the increasing number of Ugandans with negative Covid 19 certificates who are testing positive at their final destinations.”
The statement has been spreading on social media like wildfire as Ugandans who intend to go abroad seek clarity on the new measures.
Sources say labor export companies have been resisting the move claiming its time wasting, despite it being put in place to prevent scenarios where workers test positive abroad.
