EDITOR
The National Drug Authority (NDA), in collaboration with security agencies, has arrested two health workers from Nyamuyanja Health Centre IV in Isingiro District for the alleged theft of government-supplied medicines, including over 500,000 doses of life-saving antiretroviral drugs (ARVs).
Muzahura John Baptist, a Senior Clinical Officer, had been on the run after a raid on his home in Nyamitanga, Mbarara City uncovered a large cache of stolen medical supplies. Authorities say the recovered items included 500,000 ARV doses, 2,680 doses of antimalarials, 11,500 malaria testing kits, and other pharmaceuticals such as amoxicillin sodium injection, gentamicin injection, calcium lactate tablets, povidone iodine, and amoxicillin tablets. All items bore the official “Government of Uganda – Not for Sale” mark.
Documentation from Nyamuyanja Health Centre IV reportedly confirmed that the medicines were stolen from the facility’s stores, allegedly with the assistance of Muzahura’s colleague, Balhubasa Bridget, a Health Information Assistant and the facility’s Stores In-Charge.
Bridget was arrested on December 2 in Kasese and later arraigned before the Isingiro Chief Magistrate’s Court, where she pleaded guilty to theft of government drugs. On December 11, she was sentenced to three years in prison.
Muzahura is now in custody and is expected to face charges including illegal possession of government stores under Section 296(2) of the Penal Code Act and illegal possession of classified drugs under Section 27(2) of the National Drug Policy and Authority Act.
The NDA emphasized that these arrests are part of an ongoing crackdown on the theft and illegal sale of government medicines, which continues to undermine public healthcare delivery. Since 2019, the Authority has recovered stolen government medicines valued at over UGX 15 billion and arrested more than 62 suspects, including 43 health workers, a soldier, and a police officer. Several cases have resulted in convictions, including the October 7 sentencing of Kibalya Ronald Nditusawa and accomplices, who received up to four years in prison after being found with more than 64,800 doses of stolen ARVs.
The NDA commended the joint efforts of security agencies, including the UPDF’s Deputy Director of Counter-Intelligence Brig. Abdul Rugumayo, the Special Forces Command (SFC), and the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), for their support in ongoing investigations into what officials describe as a “highly syndicated crime.”
