On Tuesday, officials from NDA stormed Unyama Trading Center in Gulu City, following a tip-off that Akena had another clinic there. Abiaz Rwamwiri, NDA spokesperson said they found 50 more boxes of stolen medicines and medical supplies.
National Drug Authority-NDA has recovered more government medicines and medical supplies from Akfranc Medicines, a private drug shop in Kitgum municipality belonging to Robert Akena, a pharmacy technician from Kitgum General Hospital.
On Monday, NDA stormed Akfranc Medicines and recovered classified medicines and machines valued at Shillings 700 million. On Tuesday, officials from NDA stormed Unyama Trading Center in Gulu City, following a tip-off that Akena had another clinic there.
Abiaz Rwamwiri, NDA spokesperson said they found 50 more boxes of stolen medicines and medical supplies.
Rwamwiri said some of the medical supplies recovered in the two days’ operation include an Oxygen concentrator and its accessories, kidney cups, a portable autoclave, a digital baby scale, an instrument trolley donated by USAID, drip stands, a bone operation set, six surgical trays, and two digital thermometers, among others.
He explained that NDA recovered over 120 boxes of drugs and medical equipment worth more than one billion Shillings from Akena’s drug shops alone.
Rwamwiri wondered how Kitgum general Hospital lost all those drugs without the management notice. He said the two drug shop attendants who were found in the Kitgum and Gulu drug shops are in police custody and will remain there until the authorities decide otherwise.
Rwamwiri said the two suspects will face charges of illegal possession of classified drugs contrary to the NDA Act and illegal possession of government stores contrary to section 316 of the Penal Code Act.
Thomas Ojok, the Senior Administrator of Kitgum Government Hospital says the entire team that was working in the medicine store should step aside until investigations are completed.
Ojok regretted the theft unearthed at the hospital but blamed it on the weak internal control systems of past workers.
Hajj Marijan Walire, the Kitgum Deputy Resident District Commissioner, said that they got information that Akena was supplying a number of districts in Acholi Sub-Region with stolen medical supplies. Walire said they are going to do investigations beyond those who have been arrested and anyone who falls within the racket will be arrested and punished.URN