Health minister wants National Drug Authority to ban individuals from buying medicine from pharmacies
The minister of health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng has called upon the national drug authority to draw measures, which will address the purchase of medicines over the counter.
The minister of health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng has called upon the National Drug Authority (NDA) to draw measures, which will address the purchase of medicines over the counter.
The minister who was presiding over the commissioning of the NDA microbiology lab, expressed her concern about the increase of drug abuse in the country, due to purchase of drugs off the counter, making drug resistance worse in the country.
During the commissioning of the Laboratory the minister noted that it’s a major milestone for the authority, as it will now be able to test for all kinds of vaccines, as well as both herbal and modern medicines.
However additionally to this, the minister asked the authority to draw measures, on how to encounter direct selling of medicines to people without prescription, commonly known as buying medicine Over-the-counter.
“In Uganda, anybody can walk to the pharmacy and procure any medicines they want in whatever quantity. But in other countries you cannot procure medicines off the counter, because the regulation is very stringent at stiff. The fact that we still procure medicines off the counter means we have drug abuse and we shall end up with a lot of resistance,” she said.
Dr. Aceng commended the authority for fighting drug theft in the country, highlighting that the country loses billions dollars of money, whenever drugs are stolen.
She added that it’s so unfortunate that these drugs are not only stolen and sold locally within Uganda, but also exported to other foreign countries, leading to loses of lives in the country.
“One of the activities that his excellence tasked you with is to fight drug theft. And every other day when I read newspapers or watch TV, I see you doing this task. However, you must take note that it is a racket. Because if you get one person, you have not broken the chain since it goes on and on. Uganda loses billions of Uganda shillings, billions of dollars, to drugs that are stolen,” she added.
Now Dr Medard Bitekyerezo the board chairperson national drug authority, requested government through the minister, not to shift the authority to the prime minister’s office, during the process of rationalizing government agencies.
He says the authority has the expertise and capacity, to handle issues of drugs related to human beings and those of animals.
Meanwhile Hon. Dr. Charles Ayume the chairperson health committee of parliament, noted that as the health committee, they are awaiting the minister to bring the national drug authority act to parliament, which he says need to be amended to lift the authority to compete at international level.
The national drug authority laboratory is mandated to analyze different categories of medicines, medical devices and Public health products, as well as samples obtained from pre market, post shipment and Post Market Surveillance.
