By Aggrey Twesigye
www.mkneslink.com
In Rubanda—-
The National Drug Authority (NDA) has arrested a suspected herbal medicine seller in Rubanda District for allegedly advertising and selling unregistered herbal products imported from Tanzania and China.
The suspect, identified as Rajabu Ibrahim, was arrested on October 19 at Rubanda Shift Market in Rubanda Trading Centre during a special operation targeting the illegal sale and promotion of medicines.
According to Abiaz Rwamwiri, the NDA spokesperson, Ibrahim was allegedly found displaying and selling assorted herbal concoctions that he claimed could treat various conditions, including male impotence, ulcers, diarrhoea, typhoid, skin diseases, kidney problems, body pain, vomiting blood and heartburn.
Rwamwiri said the suspect claimed to have received herbal medicine training in Tanzania and presented documents purportedly showing his affiliation with several associations, whose authenticity the authority could not immediately establish.
He added that the NDA would subject the products advertised for enhancing male sexual performance to laboratory analysis to establish whether they had been adulterated with sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra.
Rwamwiri said the suspect was being held in police custody and would be arraigned before the Standards, Utilities and Wildlife Court to face charges of illegal advertising of medicines and unlawful possession and supply of unregistered drugs.
The charges relate to Sections 45(1), 45(2) and 45(4)(b), and Section 21(1), 21(2) and 21(8)(b) of the legislation cited by the authority.
The NDA spokesperson warned that illegal medicine hawking poses a serious public health risk because the products may be substandard, falsified or improperly stored, potentially exposing consumers to harmful reactions and treatment failures.
He explained that vendors operating in markets, on public transport and along streets are often difficult to trace when consumers suffer complications after using the products.
According to Rwamwiri, medicines sold under such conditions may be exposed to extreme weather, affecting their quality and effectiveness. He added that unqualified sellers may also mislead consumers through unverified claims about the ability of their products to treat various diseases.
He warned that the sale of medicines by unregulated vendors could contribute to treatment failure, increase healthcare costs and undermine the integrity of the country’s medicine supply chain.
Rwamwiri urged members of the public to obtain herbal medicines from authorised drug shops and pharmacies, noting that the NDA had registered and approved more than 250 locally manufactured herbal products, alongside hundreds of imported products from East Africa, Asia and Europe.
He encouraged the public to report suspected illegal medicine sales and other drug-related offences through the NDA’s toll-free line, 0800 101 999, or its WhatsApp line, 0740 002 070, or by visiting the authority’s offices.
