KAMPALA, UGANDA – The National Drug Authority (NDA), in a joint intelligence-led operation with the Police, has arrested a senior health official in Isingiro District who had been on the run for days.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!John Baptist Muzahura, the Senior Clinical Officer at Nyamuyanja Health Center IV, was arrested following a discovery at his private residence in Nyamitanga, Mbarara City, where officials uncovered a stockpile of vital medical supplies meant for public health facilities.
The scale of the recovered items, most notably over 500,000 doses of Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, points to a major diversion of essential medicines from the national healthcare system.
These life-saving medications are crucial for managing HIV/AIDS, and their theft could have directly endangered the health and lives of thousands of patients dependent on consistent treatment.
The NDA spokesperson, Abiaz Rwamwiri, stated the operation underscores their commitment to safeguarding the medical supply chain, calling the massive ARV diversion an egregious betrayal of public trust.
“This operation underscores our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the nation’s medical supply chain. The theft of any medicine is unacceptable, but the diversion of ARVs on this scale is particularly egregious and a grave betrayal of public trust,” Rwamwiri said.
He confirmed that the raid yielded a wide assortment of items beyond ARVs, including 2,680 antimalarial doses, 11,500 malaria test kits, and other essential drugs.
Following Muzahura’s arrest, the NDA has also launched a full-scale investigation to trace the network behind this theft and identify any other individuals or facilities that may be involved.
The public is encouraged to report any suspected cases of drug theft or misuse to the NDA through its official channels.
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