Rwanda to open COVID-19 testing soon for general public says Health Ministry

Rwanda Ministry of Health on Monday, July 20 has disclosed that voluntary testing services for COVID-19 will soon be accessible to the general public, according to a news report by The New Times.

This was said in a press conference that brought together journalists with the ministers of Health, Local Government, Trade and Industry, and Rwanda National Police to shed light on how the country is responding to Covid-19.

Currently, this service is only given to people who come into contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases and people with a high risk of contracting this virus such as cross-border traders and truck-drivers and repatriated Rwandans among others.

Dr. Daniel Ngamije, Minister for Health, highlighted at the news conference, "We will be soon providing COVID-19 testing to Rwandans and foreigners who are going outside the country."

According to Ngamije, this service will be provided at the National Reference Laboratory, located in Kigali, at a cost of around Rwf50,000 per test to Rwandans and USD100 per test to foreigners.

Though the minister did not specify the date at which this service shall commence but a source from Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) told that it may kick-off this week, adding that everyone willing will be allowed to access it.

"There are some guidelines that are yet to be approved by RBC in this regard, but we expect this process to end this week and then begin providing the service. It shall be accessed to everyone who is in need of it as long as they have the means," said Julien Mahoro Niyigabira, Head of Communication at RBC.