UGANDA: Government to amend drugs Act

By Stephen Otage

The government has announced plans to amend the 1993 National Drug Policy and Authority Act to include a provision on regulating food businesses.

Ms Sarah Ndobooli Kataike, the State Minister for Health in-charge of general duties, said the ministry was reviewing the Act to come up with the National Food and Drug Act to weed out fraudsters in the food business, clinics, pharmacies and drug shops.

While launching the 2012 Essential Medicines and Health Supplies list for Uganda on Tuesday, Ms Kataike said drug resistance was becoming common in illnesses like malaria and diarrhoea among children because of unregulated diagnosis and dispensing drugs over the counter.

She said the amendment follows massive recruitment of health workers last year where many are expected to report to their duty stations next month to address the staffing shortages.

“We are aware that there are ‘askaris’ now treating patients in government facilities but next month, we shall be having new staff reporting to their duty stations,” Ms Kataike said.

She added: “It is only in Uganda where you find people still walking to drug shops to buy drugs over the counter even without verifying their efficacy.”

The Act is supposed to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of both human and veterinary medicines and other health care products through the regulation and control of their production, importation, distribution and use.

However, there has been laxity in enforcing this mandate thereby creating loopholes for fake drugs to be imported to the country.

Source: Daily Monitor (31/01/2013): http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Government-to-amend-drugs-Act/-/688334/1680110/-/xnelvqz/-/index.html