Olandason Wanyama
7 September 2008
Kampala — VETERINARIANS have decried understaffing at the National Drug Authority (NDA) secretariat.
Since the inauguration of NDA in 1993, they observed that only two veterinarians were employed by the authority to inspect veterinary drugs outlets throughout the country.
As a result, Enock Bigirwa, the chairman of Uganda Veterinary Business Association, said 50% of the drug shops were not licensed due to little supervision.
He made the remarks during a meeting for vets in Kampala last week.
Bigirwa observed that pharmacists trained in human medicine were supervising the operations of veterinary outlets.
"They (pharmacists) do not have adequate training and skills to handle vet drugs. They are not necessary in the supervision of vet retail outlets ," Bigirwa added.
He said NDA was too poised to handling human medicine at the expense of veterinary drugs.
As a result, he added, the 1993 NDA statute, which spells out its functions, was a disservice to the livestock sector.
"The NDA policy and statute is under the Ministry of health.
This deprives the Ministry of Agriculture statutory powers to make necessary amendments to the law to address challenges of the livestock sector."
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