Makerere University has come out to defend itself against claims that false COVID-19 positive test results were released from its laboratory.
Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, the University Vice-Chancellor, expressed shock at President Museveni’s statement that the University issued false results.
“I was hearing about it for the first time. I have requested for a report from the researchers.” Prof Nawangwe said.
President Museveni, while speaking on Thursday at State House during the 2020/2021 budget reading, blamed Makerere University laboratory of issuing false COVID-19 test results.
“Some of the 679 confirmed cases were classified as positive when they are not by a laboratory in Makerere because they were careless. Only three people were working there and I think they got tired and they did not do things properly and some samples were classified as positive and yet they were not. Fresh tests were done and facts came out” President Museveni said.
Campus Bee has exclusively learnt that the allegations originate from a fight over who should carry out tests putting the University against ‘mafias’ in the health ministry and Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI).
“The allegations could have been initiated by individuals who are trying to fight the Makerere University lab after it carried out tests at no cost and yet other labs are charging about Shs.210,000 per test. There are a lot of fights involving those who had procured reagents and would miss out on the deal had Makerere developed cheaper testing kits” an inside source in Makerere said.
