Stolen ARVs from Uganda smuggled into South Sudan
Authorities say drug theft significantly affects Uganda's health care system. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- NDA said drug theft represents a “financial loss to the health care system, affects health outcomes negatively [and] it also contributes to the growing sense of mistrust and disrespect for the health professions."
The National Drug Authority (NDA) intelligence and enforcement team has arrested a health worker from Kamuli Hospital over allegations of illegal possession of 12 boxes containing 64,800 doses of the government’s Anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs.
“Our intelligence shows that these (ARVs) are being smuggled into South Sudan and DR Congo,” Mr Abiaz Rwamwiri, the NDA spokesperson, told this publication on Saturday. In a Friday statement, NDA said the health worker, who was arrested with three others in connection with the matter, was allegedly delivering the medicines in a saloon car “for sale” in Nansana, Wakiso District.
“Suspects are being held at CPS Kampala and will be charged with unlawful possession of classified drugs and unlawfully possessing government stores,” the NDA statement reads. NDA also revealed that since March, they have recovered stolen government drugs worth about Shs2.5 billion, indicating that the vice is widespread. NDA, while referring to several Auditor General reports (2017-2020), indicated that “the average Ugandan health facility drug leakage involving facility health workers is as high as 78 percent and the motivation is to resale the stolen drugs.”
This, NDA said, represents a “financial loss to the health care system, affects health outcomes negatively [and] it also contributes to the growing sense of mistrust and disrespect for the health professions and their institutions.” “Illegal access and possession of classified drugs in wrong hands divert drugs meant for government facilities, which deprives the public of their right to access healthcare and also has long-lasting consequences on the country’s development as well as loss of trust in the country’s healthcare system,” they noted.
Information from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) indicates that South Sudan, where the drugs were destined to be exported, has high HIV infection rates and only 10 percent of people living with HIV in the country are on life-saving anti-retroviral therapy.
“The conflict has weakened HIV services and host countries often cannot provide for the influx of refugees,” UNAids states. According to the budget for the 2023/2024 financial year, the government spends about Shs500 billion on medicines.
