KAMPALA – The cabinet on Sunday approved the newly appointed board of directors of the National Medical Stores (NMS) headed by Dr Jotham Musinguzi
Dr Jane Aceng, the Minister of Health urged the new board to strengthen information sharing, especially on distribution of medicines to health facilities in the country.
She said “keeping the public aware of the body’s activities will go a long way in addressing issues such as drugs being stocked and yet (they) not claimed by the public because the population wants to know when medicines are supplied to the facilities and therefore there is need to strengthen the procedure”.
Dr Musinguzi currently serves as the Director General of the National Population Council (NPC).
He is known for his involvement in negotiations on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and also the preparations for the Maputo Plan of Action, which was adopted by the African Union in 2006 to help achieve the MDGs in Africa.
Musinguzi also chaired the Board of Directors of Population Services International (PSI) Uganda, and was formerly a Trustee of the Population Council of New York, as well as the Commonwealth Medical Trust of London (COMMAT).
Dr Musinguzi replaces Dr Phillip B Byaruhanga, who steered the NMS board since December 2015.
Other members on the new board include former Oyam Woman MP, Beatrice Amongi Lagada, Uganda Aids Commission Boss Dr Christine Ondoa, as well as Former Mbarara MP and current National Drug Authority Board Chair, Dr Medard Bitekyerezo.
Other Members are Dr Hanifah Namala, Laban Mbulamuko, Justinian Niwagaba, Dr Samuel Orochi Orach, Kenneth Paul Omoding and Kate Nalukenge.
Others are Dr Richard Mugahi, Naome Kibaaju, Emmanuel Osuna, Shaban Abdullah and Dr Timothy Musila.
Dr Jotham Musinguzi said they would channel their efforts to prevention of the communicable diseases so as to reduce the NMS budget since these diseases are preventable.
“We shall commence our work immediately and as a new board we pledge to sort out the problem of expired drugs,” said Dr Musinguzi in his acceptance speech.
The NMS has been on the spot recently over under performance as many parts of the country decried the poor supply of medicines to their health centres across the country.
About NMS
National Medical Stores was established as a statutory corporation in 1993, with a mandate to procure, store and distribute essential medicines and other medical supplies to public health facilities. The role of the board is to oversee the operations of NMS in executing its duties.
