Hon. Lagen David Atuka, Member of Parliament for Agago County, has urged local government officials to carry out strict follow-up on drug deliveries to health facilities, warning that theft and diversion of medicines are denying lifesaving treatment to rural communities.
Lagen said the lack of medicines in government health centres forces many patients to turn to private clinics, where treatment is often unaffordable.
“The fact of the matter is that our people in the community are suffering because once the drugs are not there at the health centres, many members of the community are forced to go to the private clinics and spend a lot of money to buy the drugs to support themselves,” he said.
“Be mindful, the majority of our people don’t have the money to buy some of these drugs from private facilities or the pharmacy,” he added.
“Because of that high level of vulnerability, some people return home to die when they don’t find the expected help from a government hospital.”
He described drug theft from public facilities as a criminal act that must be met with strict accountability.
“The issue of drugs getting lost from the health centre or the government hospital is criminal and must be taken seriously,” Lagen stressed.
“The authorities must be responsible for the loss of those drugs, which is why local officials need to follow up.”
Lagen said district and sub-county officials, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), and health unit management committees should ensure that every consignment of government drugs is tracked from storage at local health centres, verifying quantities and ensuring transparency.
“When the drug has been taken to the hospital or the health centre, local officials must follow up to find out whether it has been issued to patients or not,” he said. Recent studies found that many Ugandans are aware of drug theft in their areas, with some cases involving the diversion of vital medicines to private markets or smuggling across borders.
Lagen urged community members to work with their leaders to protect the medicines supplied for their benefit. “This is about saving lives,” he said. “If we don’t track and protect our medicines, we are abandoning our people to suffering and death. Follow-up at the local level is not optional—it is our duty.”
