NDA arrests six people with fake FMD drug in Kazo district

Kazo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Six people have been arrested in Kazo District after they were found selling a drug purported to be treating Foot and Mouth disease. During the same operation, as conducted by the National Drug Authority, up to 10 boxes of a drug labelled Anti-efmdi drug were confiscated.

Dr Jeanne Muhindo, the head of Veterinary Products in the National Drug Authority says that the authority received intelligence information from the Kazo security team about adverts that were aired on radio stations in Kiruhura and Kazo districts marketing a particular drug for the treatment of Foot and Mouth Disease.

The districts of Kazo and Kiruhara are among the six districts that have been hit hard by the recent outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease. The others are Ibanda, Isingiro, Mbarara City and District, Bushenyi and Sheema. Muhindo says that the same people were using the current outbreak on FMD in the districts to hoodwink unsuspecting farmers.

She says that it is illegal to sell drugs whose efficacy and quality has not been approved by the National Drug Authority. She says that there is no treatment for Foot and Mouth disease and anyone who purports to do so, is acting outside the law.

Urban Mushemeza, the owner of Besigwa Vet Drug Shop where the drug was found says they got the drug from one Dr Sande Osiika who told them the drug was approved by NDA and presented himself as a qualified doctor in medicine from Makerere University.

Nuwagira Roberts, the director of Agira Vet Drug Shop, another outlet where the same drug was uncovered said that the said Dr Sande showed them documents indicating that the drug was approved by NDA. He says when he called him today, he  only advised him to hide the drug and tell the officers that it was finished. Nuwagira says they bought the drug at 60,000 per kilogram and was selling it at 70,000.

John Babagye Barigye, one of the farmers who fell victim says they heard the drug on the radio and went for it but it was not helping. This happens at a time when farmers are impatiently waiting for the fulfilment of the Ministry of Agriculture that it will be supplying FMD vaccines in June.

Samson Kasasira, the Rwizi Region Police Spokesperson confirmed the suspects are being held at Kazo police station and concealed their identities as investigations are still ongoing to arrest their collaborators. 

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