What you need to know:
NDA says unregulated herbal remedies pose health risks.
The National Drug Authority (NDA) has launched a countrywide crackdown on people illegally advertising and selling herbal products, warning that offenders will face prosecution.
NDA spokesperson Abiaz Rwamwiri told journalists in Kampala that the operation targets vendors who use megaphones to promote unregistered medicines, particularly concoctions claimed to cure various diseases.
One suspect has been arrested in Rubanda District, where he was allegedly found selling herbal products said to have been imported from Tanzania and China.
The suspect was arrested at Rubanda Shift Market in Rubanda Trading Centre while advertising concoctions claimed to treat conditions including male impotence, ulcers, typhoid, skin diseases, kidney problems and other ailments.
“He claims he attained his herbal training in Tanzania and has presented papers of several associations we can’t verify their authenticity. The products especially with claims of manpower will be sent to our laboratory to rule out any possibility of alteration with Viagra,” Mr Rwamwiri said.
The suspect is expected to appear before the Standards, Utilities and Wildlife Court on charges of illegal advertising of medicine, contrary to Section 45(1), (2) and (4)(b), and illegal possession and supply of unregistered drugs, contrary to Section 21(1), (2) and (8)(b) of the National Drug and Health Products Authority Act.
“The new law clearly specifies and gives National Drug Authority full control over drugs, whether herbal or conventional,” Mr Rwamwiri said on Monday.
“Drug hawking is a universal challenge and a growing nightmare for drug regulators in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The danger is when this irregular business crosses into vending of pharmaceuticals, greatly impacts the health of the population,” he added.
He said hawkers’ mobility makes it difficult for regulators to trace them when consumers suffer adverse reactions or fail to benefit from the medicines they take.
Mr Rwamwiri warned that medicines sold in open markets, on buses and along streets are exposed to changing weather conditions that could compromise their quality and effectiveness.
“Hawking of medicine provides an avenue for substandard and falsified drugs to get to the public without the much-needed scrutiny of regulatory agencies to confirm their quality and safety,” he said, adding that the potency of products sold in such conditions was uncertain.
He said medicines sold by unqualified vendors could contribute to treatment failures and drug resistance in humans and animals, while misleading claims could expose consumers to health risks and unnecessary medical costs.
Registered herbal products permitted
The NDA said the crackdown was not intended to prohibit legitimate herbal medicine, noting that it has a department dedicated to supporting practitioners in the sector.
“We have a herbal department at the National Drug Authority that has been supporting herbalists. So, we are not against herbal products because we know there are actually herbal products that support in managing different conditions,” Mr Rwamwiri said.
He added that the authority had notified and registered more than 250 locally manufactured herbal products, alongside products from countries including Kenya, Tanzania, China and Malaysia.
However, he warned that medicines sold outside regulatory oversight could pose a public health risk because neither vendors nor consumers might know the correct dosage, treatment duration or possible adverse reactions.
“The challenges of drug hawking cannot be overemphasized. It is a growing public health emergency that can no longer be ignored as it does not only impact and threaten the quality of the drug but it also compromises the integrity of the drug supply chain,” he said.