Government has ordered fresh mandatory Covid-19 tests for all workers flying abroad.
The move comes amidst reports that some labour firms were colluding with travel agents and unscrupulous people to forge Covid-19 test results.
The Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary, Dr. Diana Atwine said in a letter to the Ministry of Gender Permanent Secretary but also copied to the Civil Aviation Authority that the ministry of Health will retest the high-risk group of migrant workers 24 hours before their flights.
Atwine said as a mandatory requirement, all the migrant workers wishing to fly out of the country are supposed to present negative PCR Covid results from a private laboratory of their choice done within 72 hours of their flight.
She however noted that despite the migrant workers presenting negative Covid-19 results at the airport, on several occasions, the same people have tested positive at their final destinations, especially in the Middle East countries where they go for work.
The development came after 185 out of 319 passengers that flew from Uganda to Dubai between June 6 and 7, 2021 tested positive on arrival in the United Arab Emirates capital despite having presented negative PCR Covid-19 results at Entebbe.
After investigations, the Ministry of Health and security agencies found out that some people in labor export companies and travel agent companies were involved in forging Covid-19 test certificates for migrant workers to indicate negative results.
