National Medical Stores and AG summoned

The High court in Kampala has summoned the Attorney General and the National Medical Stores to respond to claims that it has continuously withdrawn money from the consolidated fund to purchase imported Anti-retroviral and anti -malarial drugs from a foreign manufacturer disguised as locally made.

Court documents show that between December 2005 and April 2012, government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with local Pharmaceutical company; Quality Chemicals Uganda Ltd for the manufacture of ARVs and Anti-malarial drugs.

However, according to the petitioner, a one Godfrey Magezi, investigations by the Inspector General of Government revealed that quality Chemicals whose contract still runs up to 2019 only manufactures 16% of the required drugs and imports the remaining 84%.

These imported drugs are then fraudulently packaged as locally made in.

Magezi now wants court orders, directing government and the National Medical Stores to recover over Sh61billion from the company which government pays for the imported drugs.

The court’s deputy registrar Alex Ajiji has ordered government and the National Medical Stores to respond within 15 days.

Written by David Kugonza