Lango leaders decry rampant theft, sale of hospital drugs

Local leaders and anti-corruption crusaders have raised the red flag over the theft of anti-malarial drugs in Lango sub-region.

The activists say the widespread theft and black market resale of anti-malarial medicines is hindering government’s effort in combating the disease.

Speaking to Daily Monitor in separate interviews, the various leaders revealed that the drugs are often stolen in the night and transported on motorcycles to the neighbouring districts in Acholi sub-region before being delivered to their final destination -Juba, South Sudan, for resale.

Mr Tom Superman Opwonya, the executive director of the Apac Anti-Corruption Coalition, a nongovernmental organisation, told Daily Monitor in a recent interview: “Residents are alert and determined to ensure that they protect their drugs but unscrupulous people continue to take risks because of the lucrative market in South Sudan.”

Mr Opwonya added that the ongoing crackdown on drug theft by the government is an indication that some steps are being taken to curtail the problem. He, however, said a lot more needs to be done.
Mr Morris Chris Ongom, the executive director of Global Forum for Development (GLOFORD), a national youth not for profit organisation, attributed the challenge to “growing desperation and unprofessionalism” in handling public institutions.

“Those gaps in our society will continue to impact negatively on several areas of public discourses,” he said.
Mr Ongom said the situation calls for new generation health service managers who will deliver the sector from the current dilemma impacting quality service delivery.

Cases
In Lira District, eight boxes of malaria rapid diagnostic kits, hepatitis B testing machine, one microscope and other supplies worth Shs30 million went missing from Aromo Health Centre III on February 23, according to hospital authorities.
The Aromo Sub-county chairperson, Mr David Elich, said following the incident that occurred at night, a security guard at the health unit was arrested as a prime suspect.

On February 26, the suspect led investigators to Achol-pii, Arum Sub-county in Agago District, where the government medical supplies are being kept.
“We have been informed that unscrupulous health workers in Lango connive with their counterparts in Acholi to steal drugs from health facilities at night and transport to South Sudan,” Mr Elich said.

In Dokolo, one sack of coartem tablets was stolen in September 2019 in what police suspected to be a sophisticated drug theft in the district.
Police then arrested three people leading to the recovery of the drugs.

The drugs, which were stolen from the district store, had been delivered by the National Medical Stores (NMS) and were for 17 public health facilities in the district.

Other areas
The Dokolo Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Lawrence Egole, on Monday acknowledged that anti-malarial drugs are now high on demand.
“It’s possible that some wrong elements within government health facilities steal drugs mercilessly,” he said.

“Theft of drugs is worse than witchcraft. The Gombolola Internal Security Officers and the Parish Internal Security Officers have got work to do; they must monitor how drugs are managed at health centre IIs and IIIs right from delivery,” Mr Egole said.

“The media should join the fight. The battle is not for the government alone, every Ugandan of goodwill must join the fight,” he added.
In Alebtong, four health workers were arrested after 20 boxes of coartem tablets and 150 malaria testing kits went missing at Apala Health Centre III in Apala Sub-county in January 2020.

Mr Joseph Nsabimana, the Alebtong District police commander, said the suspects were handed over to State House Health Monitoring Unit for interrogation.
In Kwania, a store keeper at Aduku Health Centre IV, Aduku Town Council, was arrested in early February, 2020, for allegedly stealing government drugs worth Shs1 million. The drugs were later recovered from Lira Town, according to Mr Geoffrey Eling Owera, the district secretary for Finance and Administration.

“Because Lango and Acholi sub-regions lie at South Sudan border, most of the government drugs are getting their way to Juba,” Mr Eling said.
Residents in Lango said theft of anti-malarial drugs is a huge problem in the disease-burdened region.

“In January 2020, I took my three-year-old daughter to Aromo Health Centre for treatment after she started presenting symptoms of malaria but she was not helped. They told me that anti-malarial drugs were finished,” Mr Sarah Okello, a resident, said.

Mr Denis Okwir, a social worker, said: “Because of poor facilitation and lack of motivation, health workers are tempted to steal the drugs to make ends meet. When they steal the drugs and sell them, they don’t eat alone, there is connivance. They eat in a circle.”

Mr Denis Ojok, health assistant at Wansolo Health Centre in Apac, admitted that there are some isolated indiscipline cases but also blamed the government for not supplying adequate medications to lower health units and improving the welfare of heath staff.

Recommendations
Mr Opwonya recommended that stock for all the drugs entering health facilities should be taken and drugs leaving the stores requisitioned by the in-charges of those facilities.
He also said those found guilty should be prosecuted, made to return the stolen medicines and their contract terminated to serve as a deterrent measure.

Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the senior public relations officer at the Ministry of Health, told Daily Monitor at the weekend that they are working with National Drug Authority to combat the challenge by dismantling drug cartels.
“And we have managed to achieve 70 per cent,” he said on Saturday.

Background

The disease. Malaria is one of the leading causes of death in Uganda and account for 34 per cent of outpatient visits and 28 per cent of hospital admissions according to 2015 data from Uganda’s Health Management Information System. According to World Health Organisation, health facilities in Uganda reported more than 11 million cases of malaria in 2017.

Expenditure. Mr Jimmy Opigo, the manager for the Ugandan government’s Malaria Control Programme, told Global Press Journal, that the country spends $100 million (Shs370b) a year on malaria-related issues and an additional $40 million (Shs148b)a year on anti-malaria supplies, including drugs to treat the illness.

But those drugs often do not make it into the hands of citizens who need them.
Incidents. Global Press Journal quoted Mr Medard K Bitekyerezo, chairman of the National Drug Authority (NDA), as saying the drugs are stolen in the night and carried in cars and buses to Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Kenya and Burundi.

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