Apac RDC arrests six over illegal drug shops

Apac Resident District Commissioner (RDC) George Abudul has arrested six health practitioners over allegations of illegally operating drug shops.

The suspects were arrested during a security operation in Ibuje Sub County on Tuesday and respectively were handed over to police at Apac Central Police Station for further management of the case.

The RDC said he acted on a tip off from concerned residents who raised complaints that some people were illegally operating drug shops and also admitting patients in their facilities.

Mr Abudul told this publication on Wednesday that he found a nursing assistant operating a drug shop at Alworoceng Trading Centre where he had admitted two patients.

“I received several complaints from the community that some medical workers are not doing the right thing. So, I went on ground and found some admitting patients both male and female in a single-roomed house. Some are unqualified and others are not licensed by the National Drug Authority (NDA) while others are operating in a very poor condition,” he observed.

Mr Fredrick Onyum, an enrolled nurse, said he was arrested from Victory Drug Shop at Amilo Trading Centre in Ibuje Sub County where he was found injecting a patient before diagnosis.

“I am working in someone’s drug shop and for several times I have advised the owner on the operation of the drug shop but he didn’t heed to my advice. So, I am appealing for pardon from the RDC,” Onyum said on his arrival at Apac Central Police Station on Tuesday.

Mr Dickson Okello, a resident of Agoga Village, Alworoceng Parish in Ibuje Sub-county, accused some drug shop owners of extorting money from people.

“I took my child who was sick to a drug shop in our trading centre and the attendant demanded for Shs 50,000 yet he gave me only Lonart tablets telling me that it’s a new medicine for malaria which is very strong and so effective but I challenged him,” he said.

Mr Sam Opira, the secretary for health and education at Apac District Local Government, appealed to people to always seek help from registered medical practitioners.

“People should be mindful of where they seek medical help from because they are putting their lives at a high risk, that is why diseases like malaria are becoming resistant to drugs,” he said.

Police did not immediately disclose the charges the six are likely to face. 

In Uganda, hundreds of quack medical workers take advantage of weak systems to establish illegal medical facilities.