NDA stuck with 100 illegal pharmacies

Closed. Clients read the closure notice at Friecca Pharmacy in Wandegeya, Kampala yesterday. PHOTO BY ALEX ESAGALA

What you need to know:

  • The process
    Ms Helen Byomire Ndagije, the NDA director product safety, said 107 pharmacies, including Friecca had not applied for renewal and were therefore supposed to close pending completion of their licence obligations.
  • “So far, 15 pharmacies on that list have applied for licences and Friecca is one of them. They have been inspected pending issuance of a licences upon meeting NDA requirements.”

Kampala. The National Drug Authority (NDA) is stuck with 107 unlicensed pharmacies, days after it closed Friecca Pharmacy in Kampala.

Friecca Pharmacy in Wandegeya, according to NDA, was closed last week after it was found to be operating without a licence issued by the authority, contrary to section 14 of the National Drug Policy and Authority Act.

“We wish to reassure the public that the pharmacy will open as soon as a 2018 licence is obtained,” a statement issued by NDA last week indicated.
However, an April 3 circular seen by Daily Monitor yesterday indicated that Friecca was number 84 on the list of 107 pharmacies.

Friecca Pharmacy and four others had been closed by NDA out of the more than 80 pharmacies that had not applied for licence renewal by March 30.

Following a public outcry, Ms Donna Kusemererwa, the NDA executive secretary, yesterday indicated that Friecca had since applied to the authority for licence renewal.

“We have now received the application from Friecca, they have paid the requisite fees and we shall expeditiously process the application in line with the law,” Ms Kusemererwa said.

By yesterday evening, the pharmacy had remained under key and lock despite NDA officers inspecting the premises earlier in the morning. A number of customers were welcomed by a notice from the Friecca management indicating that the closure was temporary.

“Friecca Pharmacy was duly inspected by NDA on December 12. It was found fit and the renewal of the licence was recommended. The unfortunate closure is temporary,” stated a notice from management.

However, the notice did not state why the pharmacy had been temporarily closed.
Ms Angella Apio told this newspaper that she has failed to get drugs for her patient since Thursday last week. When contacted, the Friecca pharmacist, Mr Crescent Muhumuza, declined to disclose the reason why the pharmacy was closed but referred this reporter back to NDA.

Daily Monitor has seen an invoice dated April 20 submitted to NDA for licence renewal at a cost of Shs1.2 million.
The drug authority also clarified that the pharmacies were not closed because of expired drugs and that a total 1616 pharmacies had acquired licences using an online system.

The process
Ms Helen Byomire Ndagije, the NDA director product safety, said 107 pharmacies, including Friecca had not applied for renewal and were therefore supposed to close pending completion of their licence obligations.

“So far, 15 pharmacies on that list have applied for licences and Friecca is one of them. They have been inspected pending issuance of a licences upon meeting NDA requirements.”