The National Drug Authority has closed over 45 clinics in Northern Uganda over non-compliance with operations.
The one-week enforcement conducted in the Districts of Kitgum, Gulu, Amolatar, Pader, and Kwania concluded on Friday.
The National Drug Authority Public Relations Officer, Abiaz Rwamwiri, revealed on Friday that the 189 boxes of assorted government drugs worth over 125 million were impounded.
The enforcement saw arrests of people in possession of government drugs, including Alexander Odiya, the Director of Health Care Drug in Pader at Acholibur trading Centre.
Kizza Enmanuel, Director of Mighty Medical Clinic, Andrew Omara, Edmond Okadia, Hanold Odoi, and Alexandra Ogwang were under detention by the time of filing this report.
Rwamwiri noted that the charges of possession of government drugs and illegal operation of clinics and pharmacies are already pending sanction by the State Attorney.
Once the files are preferred, the suspects will be produced to the Utility Courts in Kampala, which are handling both cases of wildlife crimes and cases related to theft of government drugs.
The common drugs impounded include anti-malaria drugs, malaria test kits, and AVRs and their test kits, which were initially supplied to the lower health facilities.
On October 8, 2025, the medical officer was intercepted from Nansana with possession of over 68,000 doses of ARVs he reportedly stole from Kamuli District, where he was an employee.
“It’s a highly concealed crime because they know the repercussions. The facilities where they keep these drugs are poor,” Rwamwiri observed.
“We need to save lives because the difference between the drugs and poison is in how they are used and stored. It’s very dangerous if drugs aren’t kept well.”
Over 100 cases related to theft of drugs from government health facilities are active in the different courts, including 18 being handled at the Utility Court in Kampala.
The records from the National Drug Authority revealed that, since 2019, the government has recovered drugs worth over 13 billion shillings.
Rwamwiri said some of the drugs end up in the private health facilities across the Country, others are smuggled to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Chief Regional Inspector of Drugs for Northern Uganda, Zablon Igilikwayo, said that the smugglers are using porous borders to siphon drugs out of Uganda.
“Some of the drugs have expired, yet patients are being administered them. The people doing that are how health workers,” Igilikwayo noted.
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