The National Drug Authority (NDA) in collaboration with Uganda Police has netted six suspects for counterfeiting and selling impure vaccines of foot and mouth disease (FMD).
They were arrested at Container Village in Kampala, a hub for veterinary medicine and pesticides.
The suspects were found in possession of over 20,000 dozes of impure foot and mouth disease vaccines worth Shs 100 million.
Abiaz Rwamwiri, the Public Relations Manager said foot and mouth disease vaccines are solely procured and imported by the government and freely distributed through district veterinary offices.
"The counterfeiters have been selling a bottle of 250ml (with 80 doses) at Shs. 300,000. The counterfeiters were falsifying and branding a product purporting to be from MAAIF and distributing it on black market," he said.
Rwamwiri said the vaccines were poorly stored in a domestic refrigerator that had no temperature monitors or power backup and most of them were frozen which makes them ineffective even if they were genuine.
"The suspects are all unqualified to handle vaccines which are classified products that must be handled by registered pharmacists, medical practitioners, dentists, veterinary surgeons or a licensed person, according to National Drug Authority Policy and Authority Act Cap 206 section 13 (1)," he said.
He said impure and counterfeited vaccines have led to persistence of foot and mouth disease in the country, especially in the cattle-corridor districts, leading to prolonged quarantines and resultant market closures that affect farmers who survive on livestock farming.
