NMS blames Parliament for inadequate cancer institute drug stocks

The National Medical Store (NMS) has blamed Parliament for inadequate drug stocks at the Uganda Cancer Institute having failed to allocate enough funds.

General manager Moses Kamabaale said this while refuting allegations that NMS has kept the cancer institute budget at sh7b instead of the required sh13b, supplying cancer drugs at inflated prices and supplying poor quality medicine as indicated in the alleged internal audit report published in the media.

Kamabale said that Parliament allocates inadequate resources depending on the resource envelop and there is no way NMS can increase the Uganda Cancer Institute budget.

He also faulted the cancer institute for failing to use alternative cheaper anti-cancer medicines but insist on United States Food and Drug Authority approved medicines which are very expensive compared to their budget.