MP Otuka Urges Local Leaders to Take Lead in Monitoring Drug Supplies
Hon. Lagen David Otuka, Member of Parliament for Agago County, has called on local leaders to take a more active role in monitoring medicines at government health facilities, warning that drug misappropriation is a criminal offence that should never be covered up.
Speaking on the ongoing fight against drug pilferage, Otuka stressed that leaders at the community level must be directly involved in tracking what comes into health facilities, what is in stock, and what has been dispensed to patients.
“Our local leaders should be aware that misappropriation of drugs is a criminal offence under the law and no culprit from those health centres should be shielded,” he said.
“Our local leaders need to frequently visit the health centres to find out what is available there. They should be aware of what has come in, what is available and what has gone out.”
He said such vigilance is key to bridging the monitoring gap that has allowed medicines to be stolen or mismanaged, denying patients access to lifesaving treatment.
“The local leaders are important in bridging the monitoring gap,” Otuka noted.
His comments come amid concerns over insider collusion and poor oversight in Uganda’s public health system. A 2024 survey commissioned by the National Medical Stores (NMS) found that nearly one in three Ugandans is aware of medicine theft in their area, with many cases linked to poor tracking at the facility level.
Otuka urged Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), LC officials, and health unit management committees to treat drug monitoring as a shared responsibility, saying that holding perpetrators accountable will deter future theft.
“Medicines are bought with taxpayers’ money and meant for the people,” he said. “If leaders turn a blind eye, they are complicit. We must all work together to protect these drugs and ensure they reach the patients who need them most.”
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