Drug shop owners want NDA to regulate herbalists

Owners and operators of drug shops have asked the National Drug Authority (NDA) to come up with a policy to regulate their counterparts dealing in herbal medicine.

They argued that despite numerous efforts to regulate activities of drug shops and pharmacies, the herbalists are left to act the way they like, exposing people's lives to danger.

"There are herbal clinics mushrooming each day but unfortunately they are not inspected yet they deal in human medicine," Stephen Nabwana, a drug shop owner in Bugembe Town Council observed.

He argued that due to lack of a regulatory policy, herbalists sell products that are not tested or approved by relevant authorities and hoodwink clients into buying them using misleading advertisements, mostly on radios.

Nabwana was speaking at a training of drug shop operators and community members, organized by the Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development (HEPS Uganda) at Bilkon Hotel in Jinja on Monday.

Dan Isabirye, the Jinja district drug inspector said NDA is working out a plan that will regulate herbalists so that they don't sell harmful products to consumers.

Isabirye urged drug shop operators to always observe the law by among others; getting licences, employing qualified staff, ensuring cleanliness and avoiding sale of expired medicines.

He noted however that cases of illicit medicine on the market reduced tremendously following surveillance by NDA especially on water bodies, border points and a ban on sale of medicine in tins.

"We now have sealed packets clearly indicating dates of expiry, which are not easy to fake," he said.

He noted with concern the large number of unqualified people running drug shops in rural areas but added that as a solution to this, those with qualifications applying to set up drug shops nowadays are directed to go upcountry.

"We have stopped licensing in places like Jinja Municipal Council and Bugembe because they are fully served so we advise new ones to work in rural areas," he said.

The two day workshop was meant to train private health practitioners and community monitors on health rights and responsibilities, with a focus on the essential medicines.

The campaign in 18 districts of Uganda, funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also seeks to increase affordability of private health services and products.

"The project is based on the fact that Uganda's health sector is heavily burdened by communicable diseases like malaria, HIV/AIDS , Tuberculosis , maternal and child illnesses and a growing burden of non-communicable diseases like cancer, hypertension and diabetes," Brian Wafiire, a HEPS Uganda official said.

He explained that the consumer awareness campaign targeted private drug shops because it is where most people buy drugs.

"We would like to ensure that private drug shops operate according to government standards. The community also needs to be equipped with skills to monitor these service providers," he said.