The National Drug Authority –NDA has embarked on a campaign to stop drug hawkers in Arua city. Emmanuel Omirambe, the NDA West Nile Regional Manager notes that drug hawkers in public places including streets and commercial buses have increased ever since Arua was elevated to city status in July 2020.
He explains that buying drugs and herbal medicine from hawkers poses a great public health concern since they cannot guarantee the quality of the products and the qualifications of the vendors.
According to Omirambe, they are not opposed to the use of herbal medicine but they want to make sure that the medicines that are sold to the public are not harmful to the lives of the would-be consumer.
He says that the campaign will target bus companies and dealers in herbal medicine among others. Fred Kalungi, who works in the Public Relations Office of the authority, says that hawking drugs is a serious public health concern that all Ugandans need to join hands to address.
Arua City Resident Commissioner, Alice Akello says drug hawking is a big security matter that her office will not take for granted. She cautioned the public to desist from buying drugs from ungazetted outlets.
Section 5 of the National Drug Policy and Authority (NDP/A) Act, Cap. 206 mandates NDA to among others control the importation, exportation, quality and sale of pharmaceuticals and drugs.
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