By Betty Amamukirori
The National Drug Authority (NDA) has arrested a man in Iganga district who was found in possession of counterfeit products for female genital elongation.
Abias Rwamwiri, the NDA spokesperson, said Kenneth Ariko was found mixing a concoction with petrol and Waragi to make the purported wonder drug.
“Kenneth was mixing a concoction with petrol and Waragi to form what he calls oil for women and the same concoction with painkillers and antibiotics to form a product he claims cures cough,” he said, noting that the products were being packaged in contaminated medical vials, some of which had expired drugs.
These, Rwamwiri explained, are then handed to hawkers to sell.
“NDA calls upon the public to desist from buying drugs from hawkers and report drug-related crimes to NDA on toll-free 0800101999,” he advised.
Rwamwiri noted that the Busoga sub-region has the highest level of drug hawking and sale of drugs in makeshift markets.
In a statement issued on July 7, he noted that while drug hawking is illegal, it also creates leakages in the drug supply chain and exposes the public to impure drugs.
“NDA can’t guarantee the quality and safety of hawked drugs, given that drugs are sensitive, and their quality can easily deteriorate, depending on how they are handled or stored. Given the fact that hawkers are mobile, they expose drugs to unfavourable temperatures and without a permanent address, it is also difficult to trace and take regulatory action in case we have issues with hawked drugs,” he said.
Rwamwiri stated that hawked drugs are increasing disease resistance both in humans and animals as they are associated with either ineffective drugs or poor dosages since hawkers are not qualified to prescribe or dispense medicine.
