The Resident district commissioner (RDC) for Amolatar, Francis Okello Odoki Rwotlonyo, has ordered private pharmacies that stock government supplies and medications to begin turning them in before harsh measures are implemented.
Following the raid on private drug stores that began last week, in which millions of government pharmaceuticals were confiscated and the operators were detained, he was recently speaking to the media from his office.
According to Okello, despite the district’s government hospitals and health centers experiencing a drug shortage, some privately owned pharmacies are continuing to sell medications labeled as government property, indicating a possible relationship between the owners and the medical staff who work in government hospitals.
He said that his office has launched a hunt for government medications and that they would continue the operation, apprehending anyone who continues to get government pharmaceuticals.
Amolatar Central Police Station is now conducting an inquiry into the arrest of Selly Acen Alucu, the owner of a clinic in Aputi Sub County, who was one of the three drug store operators who were taken into custody during the operation.
According to reports, the defendants were operating without a license and had millions of shillings’ worth of pharmaceuticals in their possession that were labeled by the Ugandan government.
Medicines and kits for testing for malaria were among the government equipment that was found. She acknowledged that she has been providing the community with prenatal care and testing services.
In addition to possessing government medications, Acen was also living in a dilapidated residence, which prompted the RDC to issue an arrest warrant for the accused.
When questioned, retired nurse Selly Acen Alucu revealed that she had been purchasing medications from Lira that are marked as government property in Uganda.
An inquiry on the issue was requested by the RDC. He stated that on a tip from the neighborhood that had been receiving medical care from the clinic, they launched a search.
The deputy district health officer, Christine Acen, said that several patients receiving care from government-run hospitals had begun to cry over medication shortages brought on by medicine theft.
He issued a warning, saying that since the government now expects to see value for money, anyone selling narcotics on behalf of the government will be prosecuted.
She urges the populace to exercise caution and report any instances of government medications being supplied to for-profit medical establishments.
The Amolatar Town Council, Aputi Sub County, and other Agwingiri Sub County areas were the sites of the operation.
