KAMPALA – The NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong has said that had Ugandans adhered to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) put in place by government, they wouldn’t have suffered abnormal charges by private hospital facilities during the second wave of covid 19 pandemic.
“This should also challenge us as politicians to assist government in disseminating appropriate and key messages that are intended to help our people to appreciate the value of staying healthy,” said Todwong after visiting the National Medical Stores (NMS) warehouse in Entebbe on Friday.
He advised government and health workers to focus more on mechanisms that promote disease prevention other than cure since treatment especially of lifestyle diseases like Hypertension and HIV/ AIDs is costly.
He told journalists that the visit was aimed at identifying challenges the government body faces and see how he can help in coming up with solutions.
The Secretary General also applauded NMS for being well equppied and organized.
Todwong said he was happy to see that the warehouses have all types of medicines, contrary to claims by district health officials of lack of medicine supplies.
He, however, blamed this on lack of coordination between the district health officers and the leadership at the Uganda Medical Stores and urged that there should be a cordial relationship between the two.
“My visit here at the National Medical Stores will create an entry point for the NRM party into the works done by government agencies in order to find a lasting solution for the cries of our people,” Todwong said.
He also lashed at some leaders across the political divide whom he said rush to comment about medical issues with no or insufficient knowledge about the subject.
The General Manager NMS Mr. Moses Kamabare revealed that despite several interventions like tracking technology and labeling of medicine, they still face a challenge of drug theft from government facilities to private health centres.
He noted that the some of the drugs end up in neighbouring countries especially South Sudan, Burundi, Western Kenya, northern Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Hon. Ojara Martins Mapenduzi, the Gulu city MP who had accompanied the Todwong said the visit has enabled him appreciate challenges faced by the National Medical Stores that he said he is willing to work with government to support policies and frameworks that can streamline service delivery to the people.
Todwong was also accompanied by the NRM Director for Information and Public Relations, Emmanuel Lumala Dombo among other senior party leaders.
