Herbal drugs for NDA test
THE National Drug Authority (NDA) will soon start testing herbal drugs to ensure that they are properly packed and are not dangerous to the public.
By Charles Ariko
THE National Drug Authority (NDA) will soon start testing herbal drugs to ensure that they are properly packed and are not dangerous to the public.
Deus Mubangizi, the chief inspector of drugs, said on Thursday NDA was in the process of designing guidelines to assess and accredit herbalists.
Mubangizi was speaking at the NDA annual general meeting convened to set strategies for 2007 after reviewing this year’s performance.
According to the ministry of health, 80% of Ugandans use or have ever used traditional medicine in their lifetime.
The ministry said a significant number of people are known to seek help from indigenous healers before visiting health units.
One of the key issues in the guidelines is the banning of hawking of herbal drugs, which is a common practice among herbalists.
“All herbal products will have to be registered. Herbalists will also be required to operate from registered places just like pharmacies or drug shops.
“We need to know where these herbalists are operating from so that they can be traced. We do not want hawkers who sell drugs to the public and yet they cannot be traced,†Mubangizi said.
NDA is closely working with the Natural Chemotherapeutics Research Laboratory at Wandegeya that is carrying out research on herbal drugs.
Mubangizi said once the researchers approve a herbal drug, the NDA takes over the role of regulating, licensing and monitoring the quality of that particular drug produced by the herbalists.
He said overall NDA had improved on its quality of work with opening of new regional offices.
Mubangizi said NDA also succeeded in arresting and prosecuting impostors who were posing as drug inspectors at some of the districts.
He said the NDA would soon e crack down on people who hawk drugs using vehicles and megaphones.
“The law does not allow drugs to hawked. Drugs should only be sold from licensed places,†Mubaginzi said.
He said there were over 3,000 drug shops and pharmacies across the country, making Uganda one of the countries in the region with a high number of drug shops.
THE National Drug Authority (NDA) will soon start testing herbal drugs to ensure that they are properly packed and are not dangerous to the public.
Deus Mubangizi, the chief inspector of drugs, said on Thursday NDA was in the process of designing guidelines to assess and accredit herbalists.
Mubangizi was speaking at the NDA annual general meeting convened to set strategies for 2007 after reviewing this year’s performance.
According to the ministry of health, 80% of Ugandans use or have ever used traditional medicine in their lifetime.
The ministry said a significant number of people are known to seek help from indigenous healers before visiting health units.
One of the key issues in the guidelines is the banning of hawking of herbal drugs, which is a common practice among herbalists.
“All herbal products will have to be registered. Herbalists will also be required to operate from registered places just like pharmacies or drug shops.
“We need to know where these herbalists are operating from so that they can be traced. We do not want hawkers who sell drugs to the public and yet they cannot be traced,†Mubangizi said.
NDA is closely working with the Natural Chemotherapeutics Research Laboratory at Wandegeya that is carrying out research on herbal drugs.
Mubangizi said once the researchers approve a herbal drug, the NDA takes over the role of regulating, licensing and monitoring the quality of that particular drug produced by the herbalists.
He said overall NDA had improved on its quality of work with opening of new regional offices.
Mubangizi said NDA also succeeded in arresting and prosecuting impostors who were posing as drug inspectors at some of the districts.
He said the NDA would soon e crack down on people who hawk drugs using vehicles and megaphones.
“The law does not allow drugs to hawked. Drugs should only be sold from licensed places,†Mubaginzi said.
He said there were over 3,000 drug shops and pharmacies across the country, making Uganda one of the countries in the region with a high number of drug shops.