Stolen medicine from Uganda smuggled to South Sudan, DRC

In a sting operation on Friday night, Health Monitoring Unit (HMU) recovered an assortment of medicine and equipment worth sh300m from a residence in Bunga, an affluent Kampala suburb.

The items that were earlier today displayed by HMU's top echelon led by its Executive Director, Jackson Ojera, were destined to South Sudan or DRC.

The assortment which even included laptops and i-pads meant to facilitate health facilities; stethoscopes, blood pressure gauges and other paraphernalia for delicate operations were recovered from a one Duncan Ssekibule who is currently under police detention.

"On average, we annually, recover medicine and health equipment worth 1.8b yet this is just a tip of the iceberg. Much of the medicine that is stolen from government stores slips through the radar undetected," Ojera said.

According to Phiona Abaasa, HMU's principal communications officer, stolen medicine is smuggled out of the country, packed as food stuffs to beat border security.

"Unfortunately, medicine transported in such a way loses its efficacy and actually becomes toxic and dangerous to humans," Abaasa said.

Most of the medicine and equipment that was seized in the sting operation mostly came from private health facilities.

Dr. Ojera flanked by Pontiano Jjumba, the pharmacist of the unit addresses the media after displaying the medicines and equipment at the unit's offices in Naguru. Photo by Roderick Ahimbazwe

Notwithstanding, though, the seizure underscores one of the most enduring challenge to government's efforts to improve health care in the country.