GULU-The National Drug Authority [NDA] has completed a two-week compliance enforcement in 17 districts of Acholi and Lango sub-regions, where 830 illegal drug shops were closed.
According to Samuel Kyomukama, Head of Enforcement at NDA, the operation that ended on Friday led to the recovery of 819 boxes of assorted drugs from government stores.
“During the operation, over 830 drug shops in the 17 districts were closed from which a total of 819 boxes of assorted medicine worth Shs 204.75 million were impounded.”
The operations were carried out in the districts of Alebtong, Amolatar, Lira, Apac, Dokolo, Kole, Agago, Pader, Kwania, Otuke, Oyam among others.
Kyomukama said the operations were in line with NDA’s routine post market surveillance activities aimed at protecting the human and animal population from drugs and health care products that are substandard, counterfeit and unauthorised in the country.
“The regular operations are meant to control and licence drug outlets as well as unqualified persons handling medicines,” Kyomukama said.
He reminded all drug outlet operators to renew their licenses starting November 1, 2022, but also urged the public to always buy drugs from pharmacies and drug shops, which are licensed by NDA.
Abiaz Rwamwiri, the NDA public relations manager, said they arrested three suspects who were found in possession of government drugs and medical equipment presumed to have been stolen from Kitgum General Hospital.
The suspects include; Dr. Alobo Gasthony a gynecologist and a lecturer at Lira University, Kenneth Watmon a laboratory technician at Kitgum General Hospital, James Kene Rubanga, and Odong Christopher Langoya attendants at Akfrank Medicines Drug Shop.
Rwamwiri said Akfrank Medicines Drug Shop belongs to Robert Akena, a pharmacist at Kitgum General Hospital. He is currently on the run. “Akena is still at large but we managed to arrest two of his accomplices,” said Rwamwiri
The suspects are still held at Kitgum and Gulu Central Police Stations charged of; unlawful possession of classified drugs which contravenes section 27 [2] of the national drug policy and authority act; Unlawful possession of government stores contrary to section 316 of the Penal Code Act.
Other charges placed against the suspects are; carrying on a business of a pharmacist without licence contrary to section 14 [3] of the NDA Act; abuse of office under Anti-corruption Act; and causing financial loss under the Anti-corruption Act
“We’re working with the Uganda Police to institute an audit on the entire store to ascertain and recover all stolen government drugs,” Rwamwiri said
He further called upon the public to be vigilant and report any related cases to NDA and police to ensure that all the drugs and the people are protected.
Peter Banya, Deputy Resident City Commissioner (Laroo-Pece division) in Gulu city challenged NDA to continue carrying out numerous operations to eliminate criminality and theft of drugs from the government hospitals.
“How I wish you could carry out these operations like three times in a year. About two weeks ago, we arrested the in-charge of Lapeer Health Centre II with a lot of government drugs,” Banya explained
ACP Damali Nachuha, Regional Police Commander [RPC] Aswa region pledged to deal with people stealing government property. “We are continuing with investigations. Some of our operations are intelligence-led while others are normal operations. It doesn’t make sense that drugs which are meant for the population are picked and sold by private individuals,” said Nachuha, urging the public to report those stealing government drugs and medical equipment.
https://thecooperator.news/nda-arrests-notorious-drug-dealers-in-kampala/
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