Henry Kavuma

NTRL Uganda Supports CTRL Tanzania Through Technical Assistance Mission on TB Proficiency Testing and Quality Systems

A technical assistance (TA) mission is currently underway at the Central Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (CTRL) in Tanzania, led by NTRL/SRL Uganda under the Global Fund-supported Integrated Laboratory System Strengthening (ILSS) project, implemented by the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) in collaboration with Uganda’s National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services (NHLDS). The mission runs from 19th to 30th October 2026 and forms part of ongoing efforts to s...
Read More

Somaliland NTRL Recommended for ISO 15189:2022 Accreditation by KENAS

NTRL Uganda congratulates SLNTRL, and pleased to share that the Somaliland National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (NTRL) has been recommended for accreditation to the ISO 15189:2022 standard by the Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS). The initial accreditation assessment was conducted by KENAS from 21st to 23rd October 2026. At the conclusion of the assessment, the laboratory was recommended for accreditation across the following scope: This milestone reflects the dedication, teamwork, and c...
Read More

NTRL Hosts Benchmarking Training for Kibongoto, Tanzania.

From 12th to 16th September 2026, the National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (NTRL) hosted a five-day benchmarking training at its Butabika facility for a delegation from Kibongoto, Tanzania. The visit gave the team a first-hand look at how Uganda runs its TB laboratory network, with a focus on External Quality Assessment (EQA) and proficiency testing (PT). Learning from Uganda’s experience The week opened with welcome remarks, an introduction to the training objectives, and a tour of...
Read More

Uganda SRL/NTRL Successfully Completes PT SANAS Proficiency Testing Assessment

The Uganda SRL/ National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (NTRL) Uganda is proud to announce the successful completion of its Proficiency Testing (PT) assessment conducted by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS). This milestone marks a significant achievement in NTRL Uganda’s ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest standards of laboratory quality and diagnostic accuracy. The assessment evaluated our laboratory’s performance across key proficiency testing par...
Read More

Celebrating the Completion of Practical Training – Diploma Students from Medical Laboratory Training School Jinja

The National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (NTRL) is proud to mark the successful completion of practical training for five dedicated students from Jinja Health Sciences Institute, currently pursuing their Diploma in Laboratory Technology. Over the course of their attachment at NTRL, these students immersed themselves in hands-on laboratory practice, gaining invaluable skills in: NTRL has always believed that quality laboratory science begins with strong foundational training, and it is a pr...
Read More

NTRL Opens Its Doors: Ministers and Donors Visit Uganda’s National TB Reference Laboratory

Date: Wednesday, 9th September 2026, Venue: National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (NTRL), Butabika In a moment of great significance for Uganda’s tuberculosis diagnostic landscape, the National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (NTRL) today received a high-profile delegation of government ministers and international donors at its facility in Butabika – a visit focused on understanding how best to support and strengthen NTRL’s laboratory operations going forward. The visit...
Read More

Keio University Japan Visits Uganda SRL/NTRL to Explore Research Collaboration on Non-Tuberculosis Mycobacteria

The Uganda Supranational Reference Laboratory (SRL)/ National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (NTRL) was honoured to receive a distinguished team from Keio University, Japan, on 25 August 2026. The visiting delegation, led by Professor Ho and his research team, is currently undertaking Multicentre Mtudies across several countries aimed at estimating the burden of Non-Tuberculosis Mycobacteria (NTMs/MOTTs). A group of emerging pathogens increasingly linked to lung disease, particularly in immun...
Read More

Closing Day at NTRL: Cohort 3 EQA Capacity Building Training Graduates Laboratory Professionals from Across Africa

The halls of Uganda’s National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory rang with a quiet but powerful sense of accomplishment last week as the third cohort of the Regional External quality assurance( EQA) mentorship of NTRL and NTP Managers from seven (7) countries; Tanzania, Botswana, Malawi, kenya, Guinea Bissau, Zimbabawe and Ethiopian. Building Training programme reached its closing day thus marking the end of an intensive, transformative hands-on training experience for laboratory professio...
Read More

Uganda’s TB Gains Under Threat as Donor Funding Shrinks: A Call for Domestic Resolve

Uganda has made measurable progress in the fight against tuberculosis over the past decade but that progress is now at serious risk. A combination of shrinking international donor support and persistent structural gaps in health financing is threatening to reverse hard-won gains in TB diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance. A Funding Landscape Shifting Beneath Our Feet Globally, TB financing has stagnated at critically low levels. In 2024, only US$5.9 billion was available worldwide for TB preve...
Read More

Uganda SRL/NTRL Hosts International TB Laboratory Training as Uganda Battles Over 10,000 Annual TB Deaths

The National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (NTRL) is this week hosting laboratory managers and programme managers from 23 countries for a 5-day International External Quality Assessment (EQA) Training in Kampala, Uganda at NTRL. Its a milestone that underscores Uganda’s growing role as a regional leader in TB diagnostics. The training, which opened on August 10, 2026 at NTRL’s facility in Butabika, focuses on new diagnostic tools including Pluslife and extra, helping participatin...
Read More