Isingiro health workers arrested over missing 500,000 ARV doses

__________________

The National Drug Authority (NDA) has arrested Muzahura John Baptist, a Senior Clinical Officer at Nyamuyanja Health Centre IV in Isingiro North County, Isingiro District.

This follows a special operation in which over 500,000 doses of antiretrovirals (ARVs) were recovered from his home in Nyamitanga, Mbarara City.

The residence also contained various drugs and medical supplies. These included 2,680 doses of antimalarials, 11,500 malaria testing kits, and other assorted medications such as amoxicillin sodium injection, gentamicin injection, calcium lactate tablets, povidone iodine, and amoxicillin.

NDA officials during the operation that recovered stolen government drugs. (Photo by Abdulkarim Ssengendo)

According to the investigation team, all these items were marked for use in stores controlled by the Ministry of Health, indicating that they were "Government of Uganda for public use only, not for sale."

The investigators have accused Muzahura and Bridget Balhubasa, a Health Information Assistant and the Stores In-Charge at the Nyamuyanja Health Facility, of theft.

“After recovery of these drugs, Muzahura and Bridget couldn't be traced but our team was able to verify from hospital records and managed to link the recovered ARVs, antimalarials and malaria testing kits with the Health Center IV store documents,“ Abiaz Rwamiri, NDA public Relations officer told journalists during a press conference held on Friday, December 12, 2025 at NDA offices in Mbarara City.

Rwamiri explained that on December 2, 2025, NDA, working with other security agencies, were able to arrest Balhubasa Bridget from Kasese.

She was aligned before the Isingiro Chief Magistrate's Court, where she pleaded guilty to the charges of theft of government drugs and was sentenced on December 11, 2025, to 3 years in prison.

He stated that Muzahura John Baptist, who is currently in police custody, will be charged with the following offences: 1. Illegal possession of government property, contrary to section 296(2) of the Penal Code Act. 2. Illegal possession of classified drugs, contrary to section 27(2) of the NDP/A Act.

NDA recovers drugs worth sh15 billion

Giving highlights of the operations,  Rwamwiri told journalists that for the last six years, they have been able to recover government-stolen medicine worth over sh15 billion and arrested more than 62 suspects, including 43 health officials, a soldier and a police officer.

These arrests, he said, have led to the sentencing of several suspects, including Kibalya Ronald Nditusawa (a former drug dispenser at Kayunga Hospital), who, together with his accomplices, were on October 7, 2025, sentenced up to 4 years in prison after NDA arrested them with over 64,800 doses of ARVs stolen from government hospitals.

UPDF appreciated

Rwamwiri appreciated support from UPDF, especially the Deputy Director of Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), Brig. Abdul Rugumayo, as well as the Special Force Command (SFC) and ISO teams, who are supporting their efforts in tracking down these highly syndicated crimes.

He called upon the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected drug-related crimes via their toll-free line 0800 101 999 or WhatsApp line 0740 002 070 or directly to their offices, as they work towards breaking the cartels of drug thefts.