Civil society group wants deeper probe into fake Hepatitis B vaccines
The Anti-Counterfeit Network has asked for a thorough probe into circumstances that led to the proliferation of counterfeit Hepatitis B vaccines on the local market.
ACN is a private sector organisation aimed at bridging the intervention gap between those affected by and those who affect counterfeiting.
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In a letter dated March 19 and addressed to the executive director of the National Drug Authority, ACN says so far that it is not convinced with the explanations given by the authority and health ministry officials. ACN has given NDA 21 days to provide answers to 13 questions about the saga.
Failure to do this, it will institute a suit through their lawyers Muwema and Company Advocates.
"What are the quantities of the impounded counterfeit Hepatitis B vaccines and how have they been stored or disposed of?", is one of the questions to which ACN is seeking answers.
The letter is written by Damalie Tibugwisa Ntende, ACN's company secretary.
The body also wants to know NDA ascertained whether the vaccines were counterfeit; whether laboratory tests have been done on the vaccines; whether NDA has capacity to conduct lab tests on biological drugs like vaccines; how many Ugandans have accessed the vaccines and whether hospitals have been tasked to identify the dealers who sold them the vaccines.
Over the weekend, the ministry of Health and NDA said they are investigating circumstances under which eight health facilities from areas around Mbarara, Kampala, Mbale and Wakiso were issued falsified hepatitis B vaccines and the contents of the vaccines they administered to unsuspecting public.
To this effect, the minister of health says all hepatitis B vaccination camps by private health facilities across the country have been halted and left to only a few cleared clinics.
