Shamim Naggayi, the plant manager at Zakayo Industries, said an OraQuick kit cost about sh40,000 when it was introduced in Uganda in 2018, but the price has since dropped to sh25,000.
More than 220,000 Ugandans living with HIV are unaware of their status, raising concerns about the country’s ability to close the testing gap as the 2030 deadline to end AIDS as a public health threat approaches.
The challenge could, however, receive a boost following the launch of a local manufacturing facility for OraQuick HIV self-testing kits in Mukono District, an investment expected to increase availability, reduce prices and encourage more people to test.
Preliminary findings from the 2025 Uganda Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment (UPHIA 2025), released by the Ministry of Health on October 1, indicate that approximately 1.5 million adults aged 15 and above are living with HIV, but only 85.3% know their status.
This means that about 14.7%, equivalent to approximately 220,000 people, are living with the virus without knowing it.
The survey found that Uganda has made considerable progress in linking diagnosed people to treatment, with 99.1% of those who know their HIV status receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), while 96.5% of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression.
Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi described the undiagnosed population as one of the biggest remaining challenges in Uganda’s HIV response, noting that approximately one in seven people living with HIV do not know their status.
The new facility, operated by Zakayo Industries, is expected to strengthen local production and make HIV self-testing kits more affordable, particularly for people who face barriers accessing conventional testing services. The advantage of the self-testing kits is that they do not require a blood sample. Users simply swab their gums inside the mouth to collect an oral fluid sample and wait approximately 15 to 20 minutes for the results.
Health experts say the introduction of HIV self-testing kits by the Government in 2018 encouraged more Ugandans to establish their HIV status, particularly those reluctant to visit health facilities because of stigma, discrimination and other barriers.
Rose Okidi from the Uganda Virus Research Institute said self-testing had provided an alternative for people who might otherwise avoid conventional testing services.
Okidi noted that limited access to testing services in some health facilities had also made self-testing an important tool for reaching people who might otherwise remain unaware of their HIV status.
Zakayo Industries Chief Executive Officer Ronald Wantanda Zakayo said the factory was established with three key objectives: contributing to the fight against HIV, creating employment opportunities and generating tax revenue for the country.
Wantanda said expanding access to HIV testing was essential in helping people establish their status and make informed decisions about their health.
He warned that people who do not know their HIV status risk missing opportunities for early diagnosis and timely treatment, which are critical in controlling the spread of the virus.
“Currently, we employ over 120 workers at the infancy of our factory. As production keeps growing, the numbers will increase. These people are able to sustain their families through their monthly pay and contribute to the national GDP, as some of them contribute to Pay As You Earn,” he said.
Meanwhile, US Chief of Mission Michael Cleverly reaffirmed the longstanding health partnership between Uganda and the United States, which he said dates back approximately 90 years.
Cleverly pledged continued support for initiatives aimed at attracting private-sector investment into Uganda, particularly in sectors that improve livelihoods and strengthen the country’s economy, education and health systems.
He said partnerships between the two countries and private investors could promote innovation, create employment opportunities and improve access to essential health services.
Ministry of Health Director General Dr Charles Olara welcomed the establishment of the factory, saying local manufacturing of HIV testing kits could reduce dependence on imported supplies and potentially lower procurement costs.
Olara said strengthening domestic manufacturing capacity was important in ensuring a reliable supply of testing products and building the country’s ability to respond to public health challenges.
He emphasised that early diagnosis and timely access to treatment remain critical to improving health outcomes and accelerating Uganda’s progress towards ending AIDS as a public health threat.
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Shamim Naggayi, the plant manager at Zakayo Industries, said an OraQuick kit cost about sh40,000 when it was introduced in Uganda in 2018, but the price has since dropped to sh25,000.
She expressed hope that local manufacturing would further reduce the price to as low as sh7,000, making the kits more affordable and encouraging more Ugandans to test for HIV.
Naggayi said the factory currently produces between 50,000 and 60,000 kits daily, with plans to double output through the acquisition of additional machinery and expansion of production capacity.
2030 TARGET
Uganda has committed to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 under the Presidential Fast-Track Initiative, but the latest figures show that significant gaps remain, particularly in identifying people living with HIV.
Under the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, countries are expected to ensure that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those diagnosed receive treatment and 95% of those on treatment achieve viral suppression.
Uganda’s preliminary UPHIA 2025 results put the country at 85.3%, 99.1% and 96.5%, respectively, meaning it has surpassed the second and third targets but remains 9.7 percentage points short of the first.
The country has also made progress in reducing new HIV infections, which have declined from approximately 96,000 in 2010 to 36,875 in 2024.
However, Uganda AIDS Commission estimates indicate that about 34,400 new infections were recorded in 2025, equivalent to approximately 94 infections every day.
The figures underscore the need to intensify prevention, testing and treatment interventions, particularly among young people and adolescent girls, who remain disproportionately affected by new infections.
With approximately 220,000 people still unaware of their HIV status, increased access to affordable self-testing kits could help Uganda identify more infections, link people to treatment early and accelerate progress towards its 2030 ambition.
