Uganda dispatches first consignment of HIV self-test kits to Kenya

What the report says

Uganda has launched its first local manufacturing facility for OraQuick HIV self-test kits and sent the plant’s first export shipment to Kenya, according to The Observer. The factory is owned by Zakayo Industries Limited and is located in Ntenjeru, Mukono district, where it was commissioned on Thursday in partnership with US-based OraSure Technologies.

Healthcare workers and health officials said the move could expand access to HIV testing by making self-testing more available, private and affordable. The kits use oral fluid rather than blood, so users can test themselves without a health worker. Officials noted that a reactive result still requires confirmatory testing and linkage to care. The Ministry of Health said local production should also reduce dependence on imports and lower foreign exchange costs.

Plant manager Shamim Naggayi said the product has become cheaper since its market introduction in 2018, and the company wants to reduce the retail price further. The facility is currently producing tens of thousands of kits per day and employs more than 120 workers. Zakayo Industries says it aims to move from assembly to full manufacturing by 2028.

Chief executive Ronald Wantanda Zakayo said the company’s goals include reducing HIV transmission, creating jobs and generating tax revenue. The article also quoted US and Ugandan health officials as backing the partnership, which they said could help Uganda reach its 2030 goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat. In general, local production of diagnostics can improve supply resilience, though the article’s main focus was on HIV self-tests and the new export to Kenya.