MBARARA, Uganda — A total of 79 drug outlets operating without licenses and using unqualified personnel have been shut down in southwestern Uganda, according to the National Drugs Authority (NDA). The closures are part of an ongoing crackdown on illegal drug shops in the region.
In a press briefing held at the NDA offices in Mbarara City on September 13, 2024, Mulindwa Kudra, the NDA’s acting regional manager, revealed that 183 boxes of assorted medicines worth over 50 million shillings were confiscated during a weeklong enforcement operation. These included government- supplied drugs that had been illegally diverted from health facilities.
The operation covered the districts of Isingiro, Ntungamo, Bushenyi, Rwampara, and Kiruhura, focusing on drug outlets operating without the required licenses and those manned by unqualified staff. Kudra emphasized that the NDA’s efforts align with its mission to protect public health by ensuring that human and veterinary medicines, as well as healthcare products, are properly regulated.
Abiaz Rwamwiri, NDA’s Public Relations Manager, stated that in the past eight months, the NDA has recovered drugs worth 2 billion shillings, which had been smuggled from government health facilities. He issued a stern warning to individuals involved in the illegal distribution of drugs, urging them to cease or face prosecution.
Rwamwiri also advised drug shop operators whose medicines had been seized to visit the NDA’s Mbarara office for guidance on compliance and to reclaim their stock once they meet the necessary legal requirements. He further urged all unlicensed operators to immediately halt their activities and ensure they comply with Uganda’s drug laws.
The NDA has taken steps to educate the public and the operators of drug outlets on the importance of licensing. Kudra encouraged members of the public to purchase medicines only from licensed pharmacies and drug shops and to report any suspicious activities related to drugs to the NDA through its toll-free lines.
Last year, the NDA licensed over 3,000 drug shops in the southwestern region and has since carried out significant public awareness campaigns. Kudra called on local leaders to collaborate with the NDA in eradicating illegal drug operations in their communities.
