KAMPALA – The National Drug Authority (NDA) on Thursday, February 6, 2020, arrested four people in Mbale Municipality after they were allegedly found with drugs bearing ‘Not for Sale’ labels meant for the governments of Uganda and Kenya.
The drugs worth 500 million shillings were discovered in a lock-up shop in Mbale Taxi Park.
“The operators of the Lock-Up disguised as general merchandise traders had a store in the backyard where they kept drugs. The impounded drugs included unregistered medicines like viagra and postinor not meant for our market but Kenya, Malawi and Zambia. Medicines meant for use in public health facilities in Uganda and Kenya GoU/GoK “Not For Sale” drugs,” NDA said in a statement.
The suspects are being held at Central Police Station in Mbale.
The NDA ongoing enforcement activity in the districts of Sironko, Budadiri, Mbale and Bulambuli has discovered drugs that were unregistered, smuggled, recalled products, GoU/GoK “Not For Sale” drugs.
“The activity aims at ensuring the 168 noncomplying drug outlet operators meet NDA licensing requirements. During the exercise 213 outlets have been surveilled and 78 closed. NDA has also continued sensitizing the operators and the crowds that surrounding its inspectors in the course of the enforcement activity to minimize violence,” NDA said in a statement.
According to NDA, Pilferage of medicines from public health facilities compromises the quality of health service delivery and denies patients their rights of accessing government drugs hence discrediting government programmes.
