NDA impounds drugs over licensing
The National Drug Authority (NDA) has impounded more than 304 boxes of assorted medicine valued at Shs106 million in the different districts of Bukedi and Teso Sub-regions.
What you need to know:
- (Licensing) In a bid to streamline regulation and achieve further compliance with the regulatory requirements all drug shops will be required to comply with Regulation 9 of the National Drug Policy & Authority, the licensing regulation.
- Drugs to be stored under suitable conditions.
The National Drug Authority (NDA) has impounded more than 304 boxes of assorted medicine valued at Shs106 million in the different districts of Bukedi and Teso Sub-regions.
The NDA eastern regional manager, Mr Zaidi Mwondha, said the medicine was impounded during an operation mounted in the 16 districts that was aimed at closing drug outlets that do not comply with the licensing requirements in the sub-regions.
Among the inspected districts were, Tororo, Ngora, Serere, Busia, Butaleja, Budaka, Kibuku, Butebo, Soroti, Kumi, Bukedea, Pallisa, Katakwi, Kaberamaido, Amuria and Kalaki.
During a press briefing last Friday at the Tororo regional offices, Mr Zaidi said they managed to inspect more than 415 drug outlets that included drug shops, pharmacies and clinics. A total of 197 drug shops, pharmacies, and clinics were closed after they were found operating below the required standards.
He said the operation was aimed at safeguarding the public from accessing medicine from unqualified and unlicensed health professionals that end up administering counterfeit human and veterinary medicines.
He named Butaleja and Kaberamaido districts among those that recorded the highest number of drug outlets that did not comply with the required standards.
“From the 16 districts visited, Butaleja and Kaberamaido districts had the highest number of drug outlets that did not meet the licensing standards and this gave us a direction that the authority needs to base its activities in such areas,’’ he said.
Mr Mwondha also said the operation was a follow up on one that was conducted in March in the five major markets found in the four districts of Soroti, Bulambuli, Bukedea and Serere. During the operation, 31 boxes of assorted medicines were impounded and 19 hawkers of medicines apprehended. The cases are still ongoing.
Mr Zaidi said out of the 415 outlets inspected, five of them were found selling government drugs labelled Government of Uganda, Not for sale.
“But, compared to the past sale of government drugs in private drug outlets, this time, the cases have drastically reduced,’’ he said.
He said whereas the authority is trying to safeguard the public from the risk of consuming counterfeit medicines, it is embarrassing that the community members are not bothered.
“The community members in some districts are siding with the culprits to gang against us instead,” he said.
Authorities
The deputy Tororo Resident District commissioner, Mr Yahaya Were, applauded the NDA for conducting the operation.
“This will help to stop the public from consuming counterfeit medicine that is mainly smuggled from the neighbouring Kenya through the porous borders,” he said.
He also encouraged the NDA officials to allocate resources to organise radio talk shows and community dialogues to sensitise communities on the dangers of buying drugs from hawkers and open market.
