The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Samuel Kyomukama, the head of enforcement at the National Drug Authority-NDA has noted that most pharmacies sell unregistered drugs to the public.
Speaking to journalists on Friday after a nationwide pharmacy and drug shop inspection in Jinja district, Kyomukama said that they have recovered unspecified amounts of drugs with prescriptions in Asian languages contrary to the NDA’s standard operating procedures which permit them to sell English labelled drugs.
He says that such drugs whose origin is traced in Turkey and China include; Nexium tablets, Nootropil tablets, Primolut-N tablets, Hydrea capsules, Bromocriptine tablets, Bactrim tablets, Epitoin injection, Norodol injection, Xarelto tablets salbutamol nebulizers, “Chinese pill”, among others.
Kyomukama says that some health workers are found of prescribing non-English labelled drugs without a clear understanding of their chemical content which poses a risk to the patients.
Kyomukama further reveals that there are manufacturers whose facilities failed the NDA good manufacturing practices- GMP test and their drugs were removed from the NDA drug register however some of them were recovered from pharmacy shelves.
He stresses that the drugs are suspected to have been illegally smuggled into the country and recall instructions were issued to their local technical representatives and importers but some of them were still found in the market however they were impounded awaiting safe disposal.
He adds that the drugs include; Gentamycin injection, Benzylpenicillin injection, procaine penicillin injection, diclofenac injection, promethazine injection and chlorpromazine injection.
However, Mutwalubi Isabirye, a drug shop owner in Kaliro district argues that since most drug imports are tax-free, NDA should liaise with their counterparts from the Uganda Revenue Authority- URA to ensure that recalled drugs are not cleared at the border points.
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