Authorities have arrested a clinical officer in Isingiro District after more than 500,000 doses of government antiretroviral (ARV) drugs were recovered in an operation targeting theft of essential medicines, the National Drug Authority (NDA) said on Friday.
NDA spokesperson Abiaz Rwamwiri told reporters in Mbarara City that the suspect, who works at Nyamuyanja Health Centre IV, was arrested on Thursday evening after a two-week hunt in which he repeatedly changed locations to evade capture.
‘The suspect had evaded arrest for the last two weeks, occasionally changing locations but we worked with other security agencies and we eventually arrested him in Ibanda. This was after we recovered stolen government drugs that included 500,000 doses of ARVs and, antimalarial and HIV testing kits at his residence in Katete, Nyamitanga in Mbarara City South Division,’ Rwamwiri said.
He said the suspect fled after learning that his accomplice, a storekeeper at the same facility, had been arrested and large quantities of stolen medicines recovered.
Mr Rwamwiri said theft of government medicines remains one of the most entrenched criminal networks involving both health workers and civilians.
‘Since 2019 we have recovered stolen government drugs worth 15 billion, currently handling 68 cases of health workers involved in the theft of drugs. It’s unfortunate that people who earn salaries are the ones stealing from the sick who pay taxes to buy these drugs,’ he noted.
Mr Rwamwiri added that the NDA is working with security organs including the Special Forces Command (SFC), Internal Security Organisation (ISO), military intelligence and police to dismantle the racket.
Mr Rwamwiri said the suspect will be charged with illegal possession of government stores under Section 296(2) and possession of classified drugs under Section 27(2) of the NDA Act.
His accomplice was on Thursday sentenced to three years in prison by the Isingiro Chief Magistrate’s Court on related charges.
Mr Rwamwiri appealed to the public to report health workers suspected of involvement in drug theft, noting that the loss of ARVs undermines HIV care, particularly at a time when reduced donor funding, including cuts from USAID, is already straining the national response.
Rwizi Region police spokesperson Samson Kasasira said the case file has been forwarded to the State Attorney for perusal and guidance on the charges to be preferred against the suspect.