Uganda Outbreak Diagnostic Response
Emergency Response | Uganda
Rapid response laboratory system for viral hemorrhagic fever testing with emergency protocols.
The challenge
When a viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) outbreak is suspected, every hour counts. The Ministry of Health Uganda needed a way to move high-containment samples through testing and back out as confirmed results without losing time to paper, manual handover, or disconnected instruments. The work had to hold to strict biosafety protocols for pathogens such as Ebola, Marburg, and mpox, while feeding results straight into the national outbreak response.
What MedX did
MedX stood up an emergency diagnostic capability built on MedX's Outbreak Response and Disease Surveillance solutions, running on one shared FHIR data store. Rapid PCR platforms were linked in through Device Connectivity, powered by MedX Automation, so results were captured the moment they were produced, flagged when critical, and shared with response teams in near real time, all under chain-of-custody and biosafety controls.
Context
Between 2022 and 2023, the Ministry of Health Uganda worked with MedX to strengthen the country's outbreak diagnostic response for viral haemorrhagic fevers. Uganda sits on the front line of recurring VHF events, and its reference laboratories handle some of the most dangerous pathogens known. The goal was a system that could turn around critical results fast while never compromising on the safety of laboratory staff or the integrity of the sample trail.
The response
MedX configured emergency workflows for high-containment testing and connected the diagnostic instruments behind them into a single data store, then layered the capabilities the outbreak teams needed on top.
Biosafety and chain of custody
- High-containment (BSL-3/BSL-4) protocols built into the testing workflow.
- Chain-of-custody tracking for every high-risk sample.
- Decontamination and handling steps logged for a complete audit trail.
- Personnel safety checkpoints and alerts through each stage.
Rapid diagnostic connectivity (Device Connectivity)
- Priority handling for outbreak samples ahead of routine work.
- Real-time PCR platforms linked through Device Connectivity, powered by MedX Automation, with automated result capture.
- Immediate alerts the moment a critical or positive result lands.
- Emergency notification routed to the right responders without delay.
Pathogen-specific outbreak workflows
- Ebola virus: specialised sample handling and result reporting.
- Marburg virus: rapid diagnostic protocols paired with safety controls.
- Mpox: testing tied into surveillance and contact tracing support.
- Other VHFs: flexible protocols ready for emerging threats.
Surveillance and decision support (Disease Surveillance)
- Confirmed results feeding national surveillance from a single source of truth.
- Live visibility for response coordinators within hours of sample collection.
- Reporting aligned to national and WHO outbreak standards.
Results
- A 5-hour turnaround on Uganda's Ebola testing load, across districts, where the same work had taken days.
- Biosafety protocols and a complete audit trail maintained across every sample.
- Automated alerts connecting positive results directly to response teams.
- 24/7 readiness for emergency diagnostic activation.
- Diagnostic confirmation feeding national surveillance, so public health decisions could be made on live data.
Regional impact
Uganda's strengthened outbreak diagnostics now serve as a reference point for the wider region, showing how Outbreak Response and Disease Surveillance on one connected FHIR data store can speed up confirmation, protect laboratory staff, and put trusted information in front of decision-makers when an outbreak is unfolding. The same connected foundation supports neighbouring countries and contributes to health security across East Africa.
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