Kabale’s Resident District Commissioner, Major Godfrey Katamba, has said coordinated oversight and community involvement are dismantling avenues for medicine theft in the district, an issue that has crippled access to care in Uganda for decades.
Speaking during inspections of health centers, Katamba outlined how drug custody, dispensing, and record-keeping are now separated.
“We have a system in place where no single health worker can steal or divert drugs without being noticed. The person who dispenses the medicine is not the same as the custodian. There are checks and balances at every point of the chain,” he said.
The Ugandan government has in recent years faced public outcry over stock-outs at clinics, often traced to theft and black-market sales. The Auditor General reported in 2023 that losses linked to drug pilferage exceeded 20 billion shillings ($5.4 million).
Katamba said branding drugs “Government of Uganda – Not for Sale” has helped communities reject stolen medicines.
“This inscription has helped us deal with unscrupulous individuals who might be tempted to smuggle government drugs into private pharmacies. The public now knows what belongs to them and what doesn’t,” he said.
He added that strict registers and security escorts guarantee accountability.
“Each health facility has a dispensing section with a register where every drug issued to patients is recorded. We regularly visit these facilities and inspect the records to see if the usage patterns match the stock levels,” he noted.
“Whenever NMS delivers drugs to our district, we attach GISOs to accompany them. These officers witness the handover and ensure that the drugs are received and stocked properly,” he said.
Katamba appealed for public vigilance.
“This is not just about the RDC or the health workers. It’s about the people themselves taking responsibility. We want the community to join us in this fight against drug theft,” he said.
