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Mbarara, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Drug Authority-NDA has closed 178 drug outlets in Western Uganda.
The outlets were closed in an operation that started on December 1, 2021 and ended on December 10, 2021, covering 19 districts of Ntoroko, Bundibugyo, Bunyangabo,Kabarole,Mubende, Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa, Kagadi, Kakumiro, Mityana, Kasanda, Hoima, Masindi, Kyankwanzi, Buliisa, Kiboga, Kikuube, Kibaale and Kiryandongo.
During the operation, NDA officials inspected 610 drug outlets including 557 human drug shops, 31 veterinary drug shops, and 11 pharmacies among others.
Some of the outlets were trading in expired drugs, others involved in relabeling, packaging while some were being operated by unqualified personnel.
Addressing the press at their Western Regional offices in Hoima City on Friday, Samuel Kyomukama, the Head of Enforcement at NDA explains that during the operation, 183 drug outlets had queries leading to their closure adding that a total of 287 boxes of assorted medicine estimated at shillings 57 million were impounded.
Kyomukama explained that the operations and post-market surveillance are intended to protect the population from substandard, counterfeit, and unregistered medicines.
Dr. Christopher Luzinda, NDA Manager for Western Region calls on the people in the western region to get treatment from qualified health personnel. He says NDA will go ahead with massive sensitization to ensure that the population consumes drugs from qualified medical personnel.
David Timbigamba, the Hoima District Drugs Inspector noted that it is their duty to routinely carry out surveillance on the quality of medicines and other health products across the whole country to ensure that safe and quality medicines are maintained on the market.
In April this year, National Drug Authority officials conducted similar operations in the region and they were able to close 249 drug outlets after inspecting 779 drug outlets.
During the operations, they managed to impound 297 boxes of assorted medicines estimated at shillings 594 Million Shillings.
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