‘Animals are treated with human medicine’

Oct 07, 2008

MANY veterinary pharmacists in Masaka district have resorted to selling human drugs to farmers, the LC5 chairman, Vincent Sempijja, has said. He said he had received complaints from farmers, saying when their animals were inspected, the veterinary doctors realise that human medicine was used.

By Ali Mambule

MANY veterinary pharmacists in Masaka district have resorted to selling human drugs to farmers, the LC5 chairman, Vincent Sempijja, has said. He said he had received complaints from farmers, saying when their animals were inspected, the veterinary doctors realise that human medicine was used.

“Veterinary drugs are expensive compared to human drugs. That is why the pharmacists buy human drugs,” Sempijja said.

He was on Friday launching the Masaka regional Pharmacy Vigilance Centre, which receives complaints of the effects of the drugs.

The function which was held at Masaka Hospital, attracted participants from Masaka, Rakai, Sembabule, Kalangala and Lyantonde districts.

Sempijja said he had instructed the district health department to investigate veterinary pharmacists.

Dr. Asuman Lukwago said since human drugs were used to treat animals, it was possible that veterinary drugs were used to treat humans, especially in the areas where inspection of health centres was not done.

Lukwago said there was a high maternal/infant mortality rate and few children were immunised in the region.

He called upon politicians, health inspectors and the public to observe the health centres in their areas to identify those that defy rules and regulations.

Lukwago expressed dismay over the traditional healers who claimed to cure diseases like asthma, pressure, diabetes and HIV/AIDS using herbal medicine and magic.

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