NDA closes 152 drug shops in South Western Uganda 

The compliance enforcement operation were conducted this week in districts of Ibanda, Isingiro, Kamwengye, Kitagwenda, Kiruhura, Ntungamo, Mbarara, Kasese, Rwampara and Mbarara City.

While addressing the media on August 25, the Head of Enforcement at National Drug Authority, Mr Samuel Kyomukama said a number of drug outlets were operating unlawfully and were ordered to close immediately.

“This operation is in line with NDA’S mandate to protect and promote public health through effective regulation of human and animal medicines and health care products. NDA informs operators of outlets whose drugs have been impounded to visit our South Western Uganda region offices in Mbarara to be guided on how to comply in order to receive their drugs,” he said

“We appeal to the public to always buy drugs only from pharmacies and drug shops which are licensed, remain vigilant and report anyone suspected to be involved in drug crimes,” Dr Kyomukama added.

The Mbarara District Veterinary Officer, Dr Ronald Mujuni said there are still unlicensed people who deal especially in selling veterinary drugs and requested NDA to intervene and question such people.

“We still have people who are not licensed to deal with veterinary drugs but they feel they want to be in the business. National Drug Authority should help us in this. We have our licensing guidelines, for anybody to deal in veterinary drugs they have to be registered and licensed to do so, such a person must be registered with a regulatory body we call Uganda Veterinary board (UVB),” Dr Mujuni said. 

He added that the structures in place should be used to crack down on illegal sale of drugs for both humans and animals for safety. 

The South Western Uganda Regional Inspector of Drugs, Dr Keneth Kiiza said enforcement in the region has yielded positive results as a good number of drug shops have come out to have their outlets registered by National Drug Authority.

“We have 200 licensed pharmacies and these are distributed all over the region, so people can access the drugs that they need and for drug shops, so far we have licensed 2,511 and these are also distributed all over the region. That is a sign that there is an improvement. Around two years ago we had 900 but by the end of this year we shall have reached close to 3000 drug shops,” he said

The National Drug Authority Communications Officer, Mr Abiaz Rwamwiri says these enforcement operations are done to ensure that drug shop workers abide by National Drug Authority rules and guidelines to ensure that drugs in the market meet the required standards.

“We have people whom we go impound and when we leave they open and add in new stalk. Those are the notorious ones, meaning they know that they cannot comply but they still think that they can beat our operations. Those are the people we are going after, the laws gives NDA mandate to use reasonable force to access the scene of crime and our teams have done perfect job to capture such instances,” Mr Rwamwiri said.

The operation is aimed at promoting public health.