The newly appointed board chairman of the National Drug Authority (NDA) Dr Medard Bitekyerezo has vowed to eliminate expired drugs from the Ugandan market by crackdown on pharmacies dealing in expired drugs.
Dr Bitekyerezo, a medical professional said that the days of people who have been selling expired drugs to unsuspecting Ugandans are finished.
The former Mbarara Municipality Member of Parliament revealed this on Tuesday in Kampala during an operation he led to impound expired drugs from Astra Pharma Uganda Ltd located near Christ the King Church in Kampala.
Dr Bitekyerezo who was angered by the inhumane character of the pharmacy operators and owners said that someone volunteered information that some people were transporting expired drugs at night.
“When we learnt about this, we decided to go to the pharmacy and check every room in their stores and most of the drugs there were actually expired,” said the doctor.
Mr Bitekyerezo also revealed that the pharmacists were using a certain substance known as thinner which they have been using to erase the original expiry date and putting the date they want.
However, when Dr Bitekyerezo and a team of NDA officials arrived at the pharmacy, the operators first told them that they had destroyed the expired drugs and even presented to the NDA team a certificate but the determined Dr Bitekyerezo insisted that the NDA team must check and confirm with their eyes.
It was then discovered that a huge consignment of drugs in the stores of the pharmacy were actually expired yet they had been supplying the harmful medicine to drug shops and smaller pharmacies in Kampala and the country at large.
The NDA boss whose work style is highly proactive said that during his time as the board chairman, he will ensure that all drugs in the country are good as he champions the quest for good health of Ugandans.
Dr Bitekyerezo also vowed to reprimand the pharmacist of Astra Pharma Uganda Ltd who he said is a Ugandan.
“I can tell you, the pharmacist who is in charge of this pharmacy who is actually Ugandan must meet us,” said Dr Bitekyerezo.
Dr Bitekyerezo said that when apatient takes such drugs, the situation gets worse as their blood gets stained and such people can get kidney and liver diseases which are very difficult to treat.
He also said that the chemical compound of the body changes.
Dr Bitekyerezo announced that a team of Ugandans will receive training which will ensure that all drugs manufactured in Uganda are good drugs.
“If you are going to manufacture a drug, they will have to make sure that no stone is unturned and by doing that I can tell you, we shall never have bad drugs in in this country again.
This is one of the relevant courses you can have as far as NDA is concerned,” said Dr Bitekyerezo, adding that “this is a training that will save you and I.”
