NHLDS Conducts IATA Certification Training on Shipment of Infectious Substances
Kampala: 13/03/2026
The Ministry of Health Department of National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services (NHLDS) in collaboration with the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has successfully completed an International Air Transport Association (IATA) certification training for technical experts on the shipment of dangerous goods – Infectious Substances (Class 6.2).
The training was hosted at the IDI Makerere University College of Health Sciences (IDIMKC).
The certification training brought together laboratory and public health experts from key national institutions including the National Animal Disease Diagnostics and Epidemiology Centre (NADDEC), National Water Quality Reference Laboratory (NWQRL), Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), and the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).
Participants also included representatives from regional referral hospitals, laboratory hub coordinators, and district laboratory focal persons.
Conducted every two years, the IATA certification equips technical experts with the knowledge and competencies required to safely package, handle, and ship infectious substances in accordance with international regulations.
With this certification, the trained experts will support Uganda’s laboratory network in the safe shipment of infectious samples by air to destinations across the world, strengthening the country’s capacity for disease surveillance, reference testing, and global public health collaboration.
