Research institute becomes regional polio testing centre

The Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe has been declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a reference centre for polio testing for five countries in the region, WHO's representative Hatib Njie confirmed to IRIN on Tuesday. The decision was taken in July as part of the global effort to eradicate polio. He said that formerly every suspected case of polio had to be taken for tests in South Africa, but in 1996 health ministers in the region agreed to set up the campaign on the eradication of polio and recommended strengthening the institute to be the regional testing laboratory. "The institute's laboratory is second to that of South Africa," Njie said. "It will be further equipped. It has a lot of advantage being accessible to the countries in this region." The institute will cater for Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, eastern DRC and Ethiopia.