NDA Welcomes Sentencing of Health Workers Over Theft of ARVs

 October 8, 2025   |    86 views

Kampala, Uganda – October 8, 2025 The National Drug Authority (NDA) has welcomed the sentencing of three government health workers to four years in prison after they were found guilty of stealing more than 64,000 doses of life-saving antiretroviral (ARV) drugs from public hospitals.

The Standards, Utilities, and Wildlife Court in Makindye, presided over by Chief Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu, handed down the sentence on Wednesday.

 The convicts — Ronald Nditusawa Kibalya, Stanley Obema, and Umaru Iddi Isanga — were charged with possession of government stores, possession of classified drugs, and conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor.

The case stemmed from a November 2024 operation in which NDA’s intelligence and enforcement team intercepted the stolen drugs, valued at billions of shillings, that had been diverted from government health facilities.

The medicines, clearly labeled “Government of Uganda,Not for Sale”were being transported in a private vehicle, which the court has since ordered forfeited to the state.  

NDA hailed the ruling as a landmark victory in the fight against drug theft and misuse of government medical supplies.

According to NDA spokesperson Abiaz Rwamwiri, the conviction sends a strong warning to health workers and individuals engaged in the illegal diversion of medicines meant for vulnerable patients.  

“The theft of government drugs denies patients access to essential treatment, undermines public trust in the healthcare system, and contributes to dangerous challenges such as drug resistance,” Rwamwiri said.  

The recovered ARVs were later redistributed to Kayunga Regional Hospital, which ensured their delivery to six districts including Luwero, Kayunga, Buikwe, Mukono, Nakasongola, and Buvuma.  

The sentencing comes at a time when Uganda continues to grapple with cases of drug theft and diversion, which threaten the country’s progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS. NDA reaffirmed its commitment to working with law enforcement agencies to protect public health resources and ensure that medicines reach the patients who need them most.