NDA impounds drugs in West Nile

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Drug Authority-NDA has impounded an assortment of drugs worth 63 million shillings and closed 64 drug outlets in an operation in West Nile.

The four days operation was conducted in the districts of Adjumani, Moyo, Yumbe, Koboko, Arua, Nebbi and Pakwach.

Emmanuel Omirambe, the regional manager NDA West Nile on Friday said that smuggled and unregistered drugs like antimalarial and animal vaccines were discovered being sold in unlicensed outlets by unqualified personnel.

Samuel Kyomukama the head of enforcement NDA explained that since the last crackdown in May this year, the levels of non-compliance by drug outlet operators has gone down.

He, however, says that some people have taken advantage of the refugees to compromise the standards. He says that NDA will continue to undertake regular crackdown to ensure the quality of health services to the people are up to standard.

James William Tamale, the head of regions NDA says that many people in the region are ignorant of the laws governing operations of pharmacies and drug outlets.

He also revealed that there is a persistent challenge of poor medical waste disposal causing more public health threats and bad practices where vaccines are kept in shelves.

According to the NDA officials, most of the donated drugs especially from DR Congo, and Uganda still continue to find their way into the private drug outlets.

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