Written By | Jovita Hasto
Dr Abasigara (behind) Dr Nimwesiga (middle) and one Rukundo from Kyegegwa being escorted by a police man at Ibanda Police station to record statements. [Photo Jovita Hasto]
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IBANDA
The National Drug Authority (NDA) has arrested two Ibanda District veterinary officials and a private veterinary pharmacy owner over the alleged theft and illegal sale of government veterinary medicines.
The suspects are Nathan Abasigara, an assistant veterinary officer attached to Kanyarugiri Town Council; Ivan Nimwesiga, a laboratory attendant and storekeeper in the Ibanda District veterinary department; and the owner of Abanassa Vet Pharmacy in Ibanda Town.
According to the NDA, the suspects were linked to the illegal possession and sale of government-supplied veterinary medicines, including vaccines used in the treatment of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD).
NDA spokesperson Abiaz Rwamwiri said the arrests followed an intelligence-led operation targeting the alleged theft and diversion of government veterinary medicines, particularly vaccines.
He said the investigation began in neighbouring Kyegegwa District, where another suspect allegedly confessed to obtaining government vaccines from Abasigara.
“National Drug Authority has been conducting an intelligence operation targeting theft of government veterinary medicines, specifically vaccines. In Ibanda, it is a leading story after finding one Rukundo in Kyegegwa who confessed that he got government vaccines from Nathan Abasigara, the owner of Abanassa Vet Pharmacy, who has been supplying them,” Rwamwiri said.
During the operation, NDA investigators recovered samples of the suspected government vaccines from Abanassa Vet Pharmacy.
Rwamwiri said Abasigara, who also works as an assistant veterinary officer in Ibanda District, allegedly used his position to obtain vaccines from the district veterinary stores and subsequently supply them to buyers in neighbouring districts.
“He is a government worker and owns a private veterinary pharmacy, which he has been using as a conduit to steal drugs and later sell them to neighbouring districts,” he said.
Investigation leads to district veterinary store
The investigation subsequently led NDA officials to the Ibanda District veterinary office, where they compared the recovered vaccine quantities with records maintained at the district veterinary store.
Rwamwiri said Abasigara admitted obtaining the vaccines from the district and led investigators to Nimwesiga, who is responsible for the laboratory and veterinary store.
“The suspect was found with those drugs at his pharmacy and confessed that he got them from the district. He led us to Dr Ivan Nimwesiga, a laboratory technician and storekeeper. All these were interrogated because these vaccines are of high value,” Rwamwiri said.
He said a dose of the vaccine is valued at about Shs400,000, while farmers could reportedly access it from government programmes for approximately Shs100,000.
NDA raises concerns over vaccine storage
The authority also raised concerns about the manner in which some of the recovered vaccines had been stored.
Rwamwiri said poor storage conditions could compromise the quality and effectiveness of the vaccines, potentially undermining public confidence in veterinary medicines.
“Beyond stealing, these vaccines have been kept under un conducive conditions, which compromises their quality, and NDA gets blamed for drugs that don't work well,” he said.
He said the authority would continue investigating the alleged network and called on the public to remain vigilant against the diversion of government medicines.
Storekeeper questioned over distribution procedures
At the district veterinary office, investigators also questioned Nimwesiga about the procedures used to release vaccines from the government store to veterinary officers serving different sub-counties.
Nimwesiga explained that the district maintains a stock card on which veterinary officers sign when collecting vaccines.
However, he said officers sometimes collect the vaccines without written request forms or authorisation from the District Veterinary Officer.
“I keep the keys to the store. Whenever a veterinary officer comes, they sign. They don't come with request forms but verbally request vaccines for the sub-counties, which they pick and go with,” Nimwesiga said.
Although he said veterinary officers sign for the vaccines they collect, Nimwesiga acknowledged that he does not follow up to establish how or where the vaccines are subsequently used.
The NDA investigation remains ongoing, with the authority expected to establish the full extent of the alleged diversion and whether other individuals are involved.
