The Ministry of Health has directed the Allied Health Professionals Council (AHPC) to immediately stop licensing drug shops, saying the mandate to regulate drugs and premises dealing in medicines lies exclusively with the National Drug Authority (NDA).
The directive, contained in a letter dated June 11, 2026, from Permanent Secretary Dr Diana Atwine, follows months of dispute over regulatory authority for dispensers operating drug shops in Uganda.
According to the Ministry, AHPC has been acting outside its mandate by continuing to register and license drug shops despite an earlier resolution halting the practice.
"AHPC must cease and desist from licensing drug shops or premises dealing in drugs," the Permanent Secretary wrote.
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The Ministry maintained that under the National Drug and Health Products Authority Act, 2026, the NDA is the sole body mandated to regulate the quality, safety and distribution of medicines in Uganda, including issuing licences for drug outlets.
It further noted that AHPC's mandate under the Allied Health Professionals Act is limited to regulating professionals, not the products they handle or the premises where drugs are sold.
"The Allied Health Professionals Act empowers AHPC to regulate the practice of allied health professionals, not the products (drugs) or premises where drugs are sold," the letter reads in part.
Dr Atwine also referenced a Court of Appeal precedent, CISE Dispensers (U) Ltd v Executive Secretary, NDA, which reinforced NDA's exclusive role in regulating drug outlets.
The Ministry further warned that operating or supplying drugs to unlicensed premises amounts to illegal activity under the law.
"Any allied health professional or unit in possession of drugs without NDA approval is in unlawful possession. Likewise, any supplier providing drugs to such units without NDA authorization is acting illegally," the Ministry stated.
The dispute stems from an April 2026 communication from AHPC Registrar Peter Nyamutale, who informed the Ministry that the council had resolved to continue licensing drug shops for dispensers pending formal guidance.
In that letter, AHPC cited Section 28(a) of its governing Act and indicated uncertainty following a joint regulatory meeting held on February 11, 2026, which had reportedly recommended halting the registration of drug shops.
However, the Ministry has now firmly closed the matter, directing that all dispensers wishing to operate drug shops must first obtain approval from the NDA, including a Certificate of Suitability of Premises and a valid operating licence.
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"Any allied health professional intending to operate a drug shop must first obtain NDA approval, including a Certificate of Suitability of Premises and a drug shop licence following inspection," the Ministry stated.
The decision is expected to reshape licensing procedures for drug outlets across the country, as long-standing regulatory tensions between health professional councils and drug control authorities are brought to a head.
