THIS WEEK: NDA stops licensing drug shops in Kampala, municipalities

THIS WEEK: NDA stops licensing drug shops in Kampala, municipalities

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | In a Jan.10 press statement, the National Drug Authority (NDA) announced that they will no longer license drug shops in Kampala and other municipalities saying there are pharmacies already sufficiently serving those areas and that the move is to address the equitable distribution of drug outlets in Kampala in order to improve access to pharmaceutical products in the City.

NDA Executive Secretary Dona Kusemererwa said Kampala has a population of 1.5million people and a total of 478 pharmacies which translates to a pharmacist to population ratio of 1; 3,172. This ratio to her implies that Kampala is well served even in comparison to countries for example the UK which recommends a ratio of pharmacist to population of 1;5000.

Encouraging existing drug outlets to move to high density underserved areas in Kampala like Kasokoso and Makerere Kivulu, Kusemererwa said any outlet that has not been licensed yet will be asked to close. This comes at the time when the authority is battling increasing quack dealers who operate without licenses and required certification.