Ugandan Government, FIND Open TB Diagnostic, Research Lab

The Ugandan government and Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics recently opened a laboratory in Wandegeya, Uganda, that can diagnose multi-drug resistant tuberculosis and extensively drug-resistant TB within one day, the Daily Monitor reports. Uganda is the second country in Africa, after South Africa, to open a lab that has the capacity to diagnose both MDR and XDR-TB. It currently takes up to eight weeks to diagnose drug-resistant TB at existing labs in the country, according to the Monitor.

The new lab also will be used to research and evaluate new TB testing techniques before they are introduced into the national TB program. In addition, the lab will begin training laboratory technicians from neighboring countries early next year, Giorgio Roscigno of FIND said. Roscigno added that the lab will use the same technology available in the U.S. and Europe.

According to the Monitor, Uganda has a TB detection rate of 44%, below the World Health Organization's target of 70%. The country also is ranked 15th on the WHO list of the 22 countries with the highest TB burden worldwide (Kirunda, Daily Monitor, 12/5).