Counter shop drug prescriptions anger Rugunda

By Francis Emorut                

The minister of health, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, has expressed concern over inappropriate prescriptions of medicine to patients at the counter of drug shops and counterfeit medicines.

He said this problem is compounded by patients buying medicines from drug shops in various parts of the country instead of licensed pharmacies.

“Up to 75% of antibiotics are prescribed inappropriately and this is worrying.” Ruganda told delegates attending the 8th African Vaccine regulatory Forum.

The forum held on Monday at Imperial Resort Beach Hotel in Entebbe attracted delegates from 23 African countries.

He said lack of essential drugs, irrational use and poor drug, spurious, substandard and falsified products remain a serious African health problem.

The minister observed that over one-third of Africa’s population still lacks access to essential drugs and even the most basic diagnostic technology in the poorest parts of Africa.

“10% to 20% of sampled drugs fail quality control tests in many African countries and counterfeit medicines have been detected in many countries,” he stated.

He said it is for this reason that there is need to regulate and safeguard the population from substandard drugs.

“The main responsibility of drug regulation bodies is to safeguard the availability of quality, safe and effective medicines to all citizens. This is critical to any health care system,” he said.

He called upon National Drug Authority (NDA) and Uganda National Council of Science and Technology (UNCST) to take advantage of the vaccine regulatory forum to come out with the best regulatory practices of drugs and vaccines.

Rugunda emphasised this is vital because so many vaccines are in the pipeline for trials and Uganda is likely candidate to introduce some of this vaccines very soon.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) country representative, Dr. Wondimagnehu Alemu, pointed out that the five-day African Vaccine Regulatory Forum will provide information to countries which are targeted for clinical trials of vaccines on different vaccine candidates and timelines for clinical trials.

It will also promote and strengthen communication and collaboration between national regulatory authorities and the committees in countries where vaccines are developed.

Alemu told delegates that there will also be a session on vaccines against TB, HIV and Malaria.