Ministry of Health Launches the National Laboratory Data Repository.
Kampala: 03/02/2026.
The Ministry of Health has officially launched the National Laboratory Data Repository (LDR) a major digital leap aimed at transforming how laboratory data is collected, analysed and used to strengthen healthcare delivery across Uganda.
The platform was launched by the Director General of Health Services, Dr. Charles Olaro, and is designed as a one-stop national hub for all laboratory information systems, feeding directly into the Ministry of Health’s National Health Information System.
Dr. Olaro was accompanied at the launch by Dr. Susan Nabadda, Commissioner-NHLDS; Mr. Paul Mbaka, Assistant Commissioner, Division of Health Information and Dr. Caroline Achola, Assistant Commissioner-NHLDS.
Commending NHLDS for driving digital innovation in the laboratory sector, Dr. Olaro noted that the new platform directly supports the National Digital Health Strategy, which calls for deliberate investments in digitisation to modernise service delivery and strengthen health system performance.
“Digitisation is only meaningful when data is actively used. The National Health Data warehouse strengthens laboratory-clinical linkages, informs national health decisions and enables analytics that support a resilient and data-driven health system,” Dr. Olaro said.
Dr. Susan Nabadda explained that Uganda’s laboratory landscape has, for years, operated with fragmented laboratory information systems, making it difficult to generate a consolidated national picture. She said the LDR now provides a centralised platform that brings together laboratory databases, enabling integration, analysis and access to information through a single national window.
“The LDR enables timely use of data and faster clinical and public health decisions. This is not just a technical upgrade, it is a strategic investment for evidence-based management and diagnostics,” Dr. Nabadda said.
Through the platform, the Ministry of Health can now monitor:
Laboratory test volumes by facility,
Disease trends,
Turnaround time and laboratory performance,
Surveillance and pandemic preparedness indicators,
Commodities and human resource utilisation, and
Reliability and quality of laboratory services.
She added that the repository will also support implementing partners by improving reporting, reducing duplication, increasing transparency, strengthening accountability for resources and providing access to quality, secure and well-governed national laboratory data.
Dr. Nabadda further emphasised the importance of consistent data submission, continuous capacity building, system interoperability and ongoing improvement, calling on all institutions to become champions of data use.
Mr. Paul Mbaka welcomed the innovation, noting that the health sector has previously operated with multiple disconnected dashboards.
“We need post-deployment monitoring to ensure that the digital health system is performing as expected. We have had many scattered dashboards in the past, so this unified product is highly commendable. Congratulations to NHLDS for this important milestone,” he said.
The National Laboratory Data Repository operates as a central digital exchange and analytics layer for Uganda’s laboratory ecosystem. Health facilities and laboratories use the LDR to securely transmit standardised data in real time.
Once received, the data is automatically validated, harmonised and stored in the national repository. It is also analysed and visualised through LDR dashboards and reporting tools. The platform is fully interoperable with the Ministry of Health’s broader health information architecture, allowing laboratory data to seamlessly support clinical care, disease surveillance, programme monitoring and national planning.
By consolidating data from across public and partner-supported laboratories into one governed system, the LDR ensures faster access to trusted information, stronger laboratory–clinical linkages and a reliable foundation for evidence-based decision-making at facility, district and national levels.
The National Laboratory Data Repository was developed with technical and financial support from the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US-CDC).
