The National Drug Authority (NDA) has announced the closure of 900 illegal drug outlets in the Kampala Extra Region following a three-month compliance operation aimed at unlicensed operators and improper drug storage.
Alfred Akali, NDA Senior Inspector of Drugs, revealed that the operation focused on key areas including Nansana, Kira, Makindye, Nakawa, Kawempe, Rubaga, Kyengera, Bweyogerere, Kajjansi, Kasangati, Entebbe, Matugga, and Bulenga. During the operation, over 2,000 boxes of various medicines and 740 tins of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), worth more than 1 billion shillings, were seized.
Akali stated that the operation targeted outlets identified by the NDA’s regional team, many of which lacked licenses, employed unqualified staff, or did not adhere to proper drug storage standards.
Three individuals were arrested for possessing government-supplied medicines, including ARVs and malaria drugs, which were meant to be distributed for free. These suspects are set to appear in the Standards and Utility Court in Makindye on January 5, 2025.
NDA Public Relations Manager, Abiaz Rwamwiri, highlighted the success of the operation, noting that in 2024 alone, the NDA had recovered over 4 billion shillings worth of drugs, mostly government-supplied.
He raised concerns about the illegal smuggling of these medicines to neighboring countries like Congo, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic, where they are sold at a much higher price, depriving Ugandans of access to essential health resources.
The NDA advised operators of the closed outlets to visit their Kampala Extra Regional Office at Akamwesi Mall for compliance assistance and to reclaim their impounded drugs.
The NDA reiterated its commitment to ensuring that only licensed pharmacies and drug shops operate within Uganda.
