An inspection by the National Drug Authority (NDA) has found most city pharmacies to be way below the quality requirements for safe drugs.
Among the lapses found by the drugs regulatory body are; congestion, poor drug storage and poor hygiene. This was found in pharmacies particularly in Nakasero and William Street.
NDA officials say such affect the quality of drugs dispensed to consumers.
“Poor storage spoils the quality of the drugs,” Jenniffer Aujo, the inspector of drugs at NDA told media.. “There are some drugs which must be kept at eight degrees Celsius. You cannot achieve that without a pharmaceutical fridge.”
This was after many drug facilities were found using ordinary water fridges which do not maintain the required temperature at which drugs must be kept as is the case with the pharmaceutical fridges.
According to NDA’s Executive Director, Donna Kusemererwa, the routine inspection is meant to ensure drugs sold meet the licence requirements.
The inspection came after a meeting between NDA and other stakeholders on how to educate pharmacists countrywide.
The education process will be followed with the closure of all pharmacies that will not meet the quality requirements. These will miss out a 2017 licence.
Meanwhile, some pharmacies were found selling drugs to individuals without prescriptions which is contrary to regulations.
