Four People Arrested As NDA Cracks Down On Unscrupulous Dealers In Mbale

The National Drug Authority (NDA) has arrested four people in Mbale for  running an unscrupulous pharmaceutical store.

The arrests were made on Thursday according to reports.

Drugs worthy 500 million shillings were discovered in a Lock Up 147, at the Mbale taxi park. The operators of the Lock-Up shop disguised as a general merchandise traders had a store in the backyard where they kept the drugs.

The impounded drugs included; unregistered medicines like viagra and postinor not meant for Uganda’s market but Kenya, Malawi and Zambia. Medicines meant for use in public health facilities in Uganda and Kenya GoU/GoK “Not For Sale” drugs.

Pilferage of medicines from public health facilities compromises the quality of health service delivery and denies patients their rights of accessing government drugs hence discrediting government programmes.

The four people arrested are being held at the Mbale Central Police Station.

According to NDA, “All the apprehended culprits must face the law under the provisions of the NDP/A act.”

The National Drug Authority (NDA) was established in 1993 by the National Drug Policy and Authority Statute which in 2000 became the National Drug Policy and Authority (NDP/A) Act, Cap. 206 of the Laws of Uganda (2000 Edition).

The Act established a National Drug Policy and National Drug Authority to ensure the availability, at all times, of essential, efficacious and cost-effective drugs to the entire population of Uganda as a means of providing satisfactory healthcare and safeguarding the appropriate use of drugs.