KISORO Hospital has acquired a fully equipped medical laboratory. The laboratory has a CD4 count machine and other equipment worth over sh230m.

The project was funded by the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) through the STAR South-West project.

Speaking during the launch of the facility on Tuesday, Edward Michalski, the USAID-Uganda chief executive officer, said the laboratory will help improve health services, especially HIV/ AIDS treatment.

"The hospital will be able to meet the demand in the district and positively impact on the lives of the people," he said.

The hospital's senior laboratory technician, Joseph Nturo, said: "We have been sending blood samples for CD4 count tests to Kabale. This created a backlog because the facilities in Kabale accommodated a limited number of samples."

Other equipment delivered included a hematology analyser and a clinical chemistry machine.

According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, Kisoro district, with a population of 250,800 people has an HIV prevalence rate of 8% .

Edward Bitarakwate, the country director of Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric AIDS Foundation-STAR South-West project, said the laboratory will help improve the quality of care at the hospital and the district in general.

Bitarakwate said people with liver and renal ailments will not have to travel to Kampala because they will be able to carry out the tests.