This week (30th September – 4th October 2019) National Drug Authority (NDA) held an enforcement operation to clear the W DCest Nile region of drug outlets that were not complying with licensing requirements. The operation covered four Districts namely; Yumbe, Moyo, Adjumani and Arua.
The operation led to inspection of 259 drug outlets. Closure of 64 drug shops, and 180. boxes of assorted medicine impounded estimated at Ushs. 63,000,000.
However, special attention is given to the following categories of impounded medicines.
Quantities of medicines labeled “Government of Uganda Not for Sale ” and others those for use in public health facilities in Democratic Republic of Congo were discovered.
Animal vaccines that were being stored under unsuitable conditions
Since the last operation conducted in May 2019 in the region, there has been a lot of improvement by drug outlet operators. This has been because of awareness messages run on the radios and also the sensitization meetings held with local leaders and the unlicensed operators encouraging them to comply with licensing requirements in Erussi and Parombo, Nebbi.
However, challenges of absenteeism of drug outlet supervisors and leaving the businesses to be operated by unqualified personnel. For example 6 NDA licenses were withdrawn from outlets found manned by children.
NDA shall also work closely with the Office of the Prime Minister on modalities of improving compliance levels of drug outlets operating in refugee camps.
