Africa-Press – Uganda. Five officials, including three from Busia District and two from the National Medical Stores (NMS) have been arrested and are being investigated for possible negligence after medicine worth hundreds of millions of shillings were drenched in rain.
The consignment of medicines which includes anti-malarial, and HIV/Aids kits among other vital drugs was meant for Health Centre IIIs in the district.
Mr Michael Kibwika, the Busia Resident District Commissioner (RDC), confirmed the arrest of the five officials including the District Health Officer (DHO), the cold chain official, District Coordinator NMS and two other NMS officials.
“They were arrested and detained at Busia Central Police Station pending investigations into acts of negligence. It is sad that NMS officials would dump medicine meant for the people of Busia in the open for hours to be drenched in rain,” Mr Kibwika said over the weekend.
The RDC said whereas it is a policy that NMS notifies all the stakeholders about the delivery of medicines, his office, that of the District Chairperson, police, District Internal Security Officer (DISO) and the DHO were unaware.
After their arrest by police officers in plainclothes, the suspects were whisked off to Busia Central Police Station in a Ministry of Health departmental car.
Mr Julius Tusingwire, the Bukedi South Region Police Commander, Mr Didas Byaruhanga, the Busia District Police Commander, and Mr John Mulimba, the Minister of State for Regional Cooperation, joined efforts to establish who might have been complacent on the job and whether the drugs are safe.
“I saw a clip on social media of drugs supplied by the Ministry of Health for the people of Busia being washed by rain and that is why I have come here,” Mr John Mulimba, the Minister of State for Regional Cooperation said.
According to Mr Mulimba, the medicines are “very delicate” and were supposed to be kept under “certain conditions” but when they are exposed to sunshine and later left under rain, he got “worried”.
Mr Stephen Mugeni Wasike, the Busia District LC5 chairperson, wondered why NMS officials decided to deliver the drugs at the District headquarters and left them in the open rather than deliver them to the health centres.
However, Mr Apollo Kananura, the Eastern Region NMS manager said the drugs were brought first for verification at the district before being delivered to the health facilities.
He added that he was aware that SMS alerts were sent out, but those who did not get the messages could have missed due to “technical glitches”.
This comes at a time when health facilities in the district are struggling with challenges of stock-out of essential medicines.
Mr Yahaya Juma, the District Councilor for Eastern Division in Busia Municipality said it is “unfortunate” that drugs were left to be wasted when most of the health facilities lack essential medicines.
He said, “I have been to several health facilities and most of these medicines are out of stock. But when the government delivers medicine, it is left to be washed by rain.”
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