KAMPALA, October 4, 2025 — The National Medical Stores [NMS] has warned of a looming shortage of vaccines for children following the imposition of a 2.5 per cent value added tax [VAT] on medical supplies which took effect on July 1, 2025.
This revelation was made recently by the General Manager of the NMS, Moses Kamabare while appearing before the parliament’s Committee on Health.
Kamabare said they have tax arrears worth billions of shillings adding that the NMS does not have a budget to clear the arrears.
He said that whereas the vaccines have been in the stores since July this year, the National Drug Authority [NDA] is constrained to clear them for supply by the NMS because Uganda Revenue Authority [URA] requires tax clearance.
“We have written to URA and the Minister of Finance and we hope that we will get a way forward this week because if we do not get it, the entire country will run out of vaccines next week,” he said adding that, ‘childhood vaccines are from the NMS and provided for by government, even in private hospitals.
Kamabare also called for creation of a formal, legally-binding framework for collaboration between the NMS, the Uganda National Bureau of Standards [UNBS] and other government regulatory bodies to eliminate redundant checks and streamline product clearance.
He singled out the delays faced in distribution of gloves and sutures, because they are regulated by UNBS.
“All these are emergency supplies; you can have sutures in the country and because they have not been approved by UNBS through URA, they take long to be distributed,” he said.
He said that if a framework is put in place, it will define clear roles, establish procedures for mutual recognition of inspections and test results, as well as create a single point of clearance for health products.
Kamabare also recommended that to further deter pilferage of government medicines and health supplies, the proposed law should introduce a penalty of Shs 100 million on such offenders.
Obongi County Member of Parliament, George Bhoka called for urgent intervention from Parliament.
“The country is going into a crisis of lack of vaccines, not because they are not there but because they have not been cleared. We need to put the tax body to task to save the situation,” he said.
Isaaac Otimigiw, the Padyere County legislator argued that the Finance Minister Matia Kasaija should intervene and provide a solution to the looming medicine crisis in the country.
“We cannot have the vulnerable children running out of vital vaccines which even have a timeline for usage. I recommend that the Minister of Finance appears before the Committee…and tells us the way forward,” Otimigiw said.
Committee Chairperson, Joseph Ruyonga pledged to have a meeting arranged between the Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, and the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja.
https://thecooperator.news/jcrc-donates-medicines-to-apac-hospital/
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